Unfortunate Circumstances
by Wayra
Summary: Yuri Kostka only went to Rome for one thing: to learn more about the country. However, he did not think that he would get involved with the Vatican. If only he knew it was going to get worse...On hiatus until inspiration comes back.
1. Unforeseen Trouble

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own Trinity Blood...though I honestly wish I did. xD The informatin I add concerning the story however belong to me...at least some of it.

* * *

_**Chapter One: Unforeseen trouble**_

"This damn country always seems to have rain," Yuri mumbled in annoyance as he walked down the street, his dark hair and his clothing completely soaked. He had been in Rome for five days, but his dislike of the country did not dissipate. If anything, it got worse with the rainy season.

A few kind citizens had offered him an umbrella, or shelter at their households from the rain, but he simply scoffed in their faces, and continued on his way as if they had never spoken to him. Rude perhaps? Maybe. Yuri did not care what people thought of him. All he cared about was completing his mission and quickly heading back to the Republic before it was too late.

"Damn rain is slowing me down. Where the hell is the Vatican library?" He said aloud, hoping no one was nosey enough to over hear him. He could find the library on his own. He did not need some foolish human telling him anything. Plus, the library could not have been that difficult to find…could it? After all, most of the buildings that belonged to the Church were large, so Yuri assumed the library would look like a gigantic temple. Prehaps, just perhaps, he was overreacting a little.

"Excuse me, sir."

Yuri stopped, and looked over at who at spoken to him with annoyance. A nun dressed in white with shockingly red hair watched him from under the cover of her umbrella with a sympathetic expression. He fought the urge to glare.

"Uh…do you need a place to stay? The weather is going to get worse and well…you don't seem to be from around here so..." The young nun twirled her umbrella nervously, waiting for his answer.

"I appreciate your concern, Sister, but I can take care of myself."

The nun seemed to think otherwise. Tentively, she walked closer so both her and Yuri stood under the umbrella. "Are you sure? It would be horrible if I could not prevent you from getting deathly ill. I mean…if you want to, you can come to the Church. It's not too far from here. Plus, I'm sure the others won't mind. It's our duty to help those in need."

Those in need? This human girl had a lot of nerve. He could tell her heart was in the right place, but the way she said things made his temper boil. Then again, he never did have much patience to begin with.

"No thank you, Sister."

The little nun sighed. "If you change your mind, just come to the Church. You'll receive a warm reception."

Yuri walked from under the umbrella and walked away, looking over his shoulder to say one more thing. "I'll keep that in mind, Sister. You should follow your own advice and get out of this rain."

He could feel that he had greatly upset the nun, though he honestly did not know why. Everyone in this country seemed to get upset over the smallest things. There was no need to worry about him, he would be perfectly fine. All he had to do was find that stupid library. Hopefully, he could find it before the weather got worse.

* * *

Thirty minutes had passed, and Yuri was quite frankly, becoming annoyed with just about everything. Yes, he had already been feeling that way just about all day. But now, he was just frustrated. He had wasted thirty minutes of his time trying to find a building that should not have been too hard to find. Now, the rain had stopped being a gentle drizzle to becoming a full blown torrent of water. Once again, his stubbornness had landed him in another compromising position, a position that could have easily been avoided if he had just _asked_ people for directions. 

Yuri sighed, watching the rain from under a sign for a bakery. Whoever owned the shop must have felt sympathy for him because they did not run him off like most people would have done…or at least in the Northern States they would have done that…

Yuri did not know how long he had been standing outside before he sighed and walked into the shop. He had not been planning on spending money, but his angry stomach forced him inside.

As soon as he entered a strange smell filled the room. It was the delicious mixture of bread and pastries and…something he could not quite place. The smell was familiar…very familiar, almost like decay in a way.

_This damn bread better not be rotting,_ Yuri thought furiously as he walked inside.

He strolled past the register and frowned, glaring at the clerk who seemed to have fallen asleep across her desk. Humans were so lazy. They could not even manage a simple shop like this without passing out from exhaustion.

Yuri shrugged and ignored the woman as he went off to find what pastry would be suitable for someone of his stature. He walked into the back of the room, examining the pastries with the strict attention of a food inspector before he found some small meat pies. He grabbed four of them. That would be enough to make it through the rest of the day.

Staring at the price, he slowly squinted his eyes. 10 Euro?! Well, that was a rip off.

Yuri sighed. Maybe he could convince the woman to give it to him for free. If he just said how much of a poor, ignorant foreigner he was, perhaps she would feel bad enough to just let him take the food. He doubted it, but it was worth a try.

Walking towards the register he nudged the woman's shoulder. When she did not stir, he sighed and shoved her harder. "Hey, Miss, wake up. I'm here to buy something."

The woman simply stayed in the same position. Now that…was odd. The woman was either a hard sleeper, or she was dead…which he doubted.

"Erm…I'm going to steal your food. You better do something."

No answer.

Yuri backed away. The pieces of the puzzle were now connecting. Someone had murdered this woman. He could not believe that he had not noticed her pallid color before. Only one thing could make someone that pale. She had to have been drained of all her blood.

"Shit," he said, running towards the door. He needed to leave before someone saw him. If they did, they would more than likely blame in for the crime, saying he killed the woman in order to steal her food. It would be so much easier to blame a foreigner for such a crime rather than wasting time trying to find the real killer. The fact that he was unregistered non-human in Rome only made his situation worse.

Yuri did not get far before a gun was pointed in his face, a small red dot smack dab in the middle of his forehead. On instinct he jumped away, avoiding a large bullet that had almost lodged itself comfortably into his head.

"What the hell?!" he snarled, getting behind the desk where the dead salesclerk was currently residing on.

Someone walked inside the shop, their shoes making loud 'thunk' sounds as they walked. If Yuri had not known better, he would have thought that the person who had attacked him was a machine.

"State your name and purpose," a masculine, monotonous voice said.

Yuri growled. There was no way he was going to tell who he was to someone who had just tried shooting him.

"Who are you?" he asked back.

"You have three seconds to answer before you are deemed dangerous."

What the hell? Deemed dangerous? Why, because he refused to say who he was?

"Three, two, one. Switching to genocide mode."

"Goddammit!" Yuri barked, sprinting off into the back of the store. There had to be a way out of here, there just had to be! Surely the woman had a back door or something?

He could feel himself panicking as he quickly looked around. The loud thunk of heavy boots getting closer. This man was obviously not in a hurry to kill him. Whether that was a good thing or not, Yuri was not sure.

Suddenly, his eyes landed on a dingy wooden door near a bunch of pies. Yuri could feel his heart speed up in joy, or was it terror? It was hard to tell. As fast as he could, he ran towards the door, and had almost made it before a bullet flew past him, grazing his shoulder.

"Freeze. If you continue to run, I will have no choice but to terminate you."

Yuri bit his lip with his canines until it bled. So this was the end? He was going to be killed by a dog of the Vatican rather than a member of the Fleur du Mal? Well, at least he tried his best to accomplish his mission. If only there was someone there to witness his demise…

"Tres! Stop it! You can't go around shooting at people like that!" someone shouted behind him.

Yuri was too frightened to turn around. If he did, he might end up getting shot.

"This man is not human, and therefore must be taken in for questioning."

"Yes, questioning, not scaring to death, Tres! Ah, you can be so difficult sometimes."

Yuri gulped. If he was going to be killed eventually, he might as well ask who his attackers were. "W-Who are you people? Are you with Fleur du Mal? If so…" he trailed off. He had no desire to kill anyone, nor did he want to be killed. All in all, he was just stuck in a compromising position.

"It's all right. We did not mean to scare you. We're not with Fleur du Mal. You can turn around."

Slowly, Yuri did just that, his emerald gaze landing on two young men dressed in black priest robes. One had silver hair tied back in a black ribbon, and small round glasses, while the other had short spiky reddish brown hair and a deep frown on his face.

"My name is Abel Nightroad, and this is Tres Iqus. We're very sorry for everything…"

Yuri simply stared, his adrenaline slowly melting away, and with it, bringing a wave of pain into his right shoulder.

"You're hurt. Come along with us. We promise not to harm you."

"Liar! All you Vatican dogs are the same. You'll trick me into coming with you, and then you'll torture me for information."

The man called Abel shook his head fiercely. "That's not true! We would never do something like that."

Yuri glared at Tres coldly as if to challenge him to say otherwise, but the man simply stood stock still, his guns still drawn. Running away was obviously not an option. With his shoulder bleeding like it was, he was not sure how far he could get. Besides, the priest called Tres had a deadly aim.

_Don't be stupid, Yuri. Just go along with the Vatican priests. They look harmless…well; the silver haired man does anyway. If push comes to shove, they'll be the ones to look bad, not you._

"Tell that priest to put his guns away and I might consider coming with you."

Abel nodded and turned to address Tres. "Put the guns away, Tres."

Whether Tres was angry or not, Yuri could not tell. The man's face stayed just as stoic as it did when he had first attacked him. Without much prodding, Tres put his guns back in their holsters.

"Please come with us. Your shoulder looks horrible..." Abel took a step towards him timidly, holding out his hands to show he had no weapons.

Yuri bit his bottom lip once again. Unless he was going to fight these men, he had no choice but to go along with them.

"I'll come with you…under one condition."

Abel continued to slowly step towards Yuri. "Yes, just name it."

"Are you AX or the Inquisitorial squad?"

Abel looked a bit taken aback but answered. "We're AX. Why are you asking?"

Yuri sighed with relief. Cardinal Caterina was said to be a wise and generous woman. If this agency was under her, he was sure he would be treated well. The Elder had told him that he would never meet anyone as understanding as the Cardinal. "No reason. All right…I'll go with you…"

Abel sighed with equal relief, and slowly smiled. "Ah, thank you. I thought we were going to have to knock you out or something---not that I wanted to mind you."

Yuri watched him nervously as he slowly came closer. Soon Abel was pulling out a white handkerchief and tightly wrapping it around his bleeding arm.

"Is that too tight?" Abel asked kindly, looking up at him with his brilliant blue eyes.

Yuri shook his head slowly. "No. Thank you, Father. I do not forgive you for my ill treatment thus far, but I suppose this is a start."

The storm outside seemed to have increased in its power. Yuri chewed on his bottom lip, not sure if that was a good or bad sign. He hoped it was the latter. He had enough drama for one day.

"Tres, please take care of the woman…" Abel said, looking at his partner.

Tres nodded. "Affirmative." Without a second glance, the strange man was gone, disappearing down the aisle.

Abel slowly looked at Yuri, a soft smile on his face. It was almost as if the man was trying to comfort him. "Do you have an umbrella?"

Yuri shook his head slowly. Was it not obvious he did not have one? He was still wet and even colder than ever now that his body temperature had gotten back under control.

"Ah…I see. Well, have no fear. We can share."

Yuri frowned and nodded slowly. The thought of being under a humans control made him sick, but there was nothing he could do. He would just have to suck up his pride and do as he was told like a good boy.

_Damn Vatican._

* * *

**Author note: **This story will eventually turn into a **shounen-ai **(yes I'm putting it in **bold** so it's not missed). It's not flufftastic, but it's going to be here. If that bothers you, I suggest you stop reading now...not that it's going to be graphic or anything. xD 


	2. The Calm Before The Storm

_**Chapter Two: The Calm Before The Storm**_

Yuri was completely tense when he first entered the Vatican Church. He almost felt as if this would be the last thing he would see before his demise. Of course, they were not going to kill him…or at least that's what the priest named Abel had kindly told him. Perhaps the priest was simply trying to comfort him? If so, he was doing a horrible job. His kindness only made Yuri all the more suspicious.

"I can't have you see, Her Eminence in such horrible condition. I'll take you to my room so you can shower and freshen up before then….uh…that is, if that's all right with you?"

Yuri nodded slowly. What was he supposed to say? No? Yuri was being treated nicely, for now at least, but he still did not fully trust the AX agent. For now, he would just have to put his trust in what his Elder had told him. That seemed to be the safest thing to do for now.

"I am so very sorry about earlier. Are you as cold as I am? Whew, I think I'm going to have a cold tomorrow," the priest sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

"It's not a problem, Father. Such things happen. Yes, I am quite cold actually…"

Abel stopped and looked at Yuri seriously. "Are you going to all right? If you can't make it to my room, I suppose we could go off to the guest quarters. I'm sure that wouldn't be too much of a problem."

Yuri shook his head. "No thank you. I can manage. I'm not as frail as you humans are."

Abel nodded solemnly. "I suppose not. Ah yes…I never got your name."

Yuri frowned. What point was there in knowing his name? If anything, he thought the eccentric priest would be more interested in what he was rather than something as silly as a name. "Yuri. Yuri Kostka."

"Ah, so you're Polish?"

"Yes, Father."

"Ah…but why the Russian name as well? Are you prehaps both?"

Yuri watched Abel warily. This man sure did have a lot of questions about his background. "Yes I am. My mother is Russian, and my father is Polish. He let her choose what to name me."

Abel smiled warmly and nodded. "It's a nice name. Does it mean anything?"

"Its meaning is not important. It's just a name."

Abel sighed. Yuri could not comprehend why the priest seemed so bothered by his sentence. He was not harsh in telling the priest that his name was nothing special. Just then, a thought dawned on him. Abel was trying to put him more at ease. Well, that or he was just being a bit too curious for Yuri's liking. "I see. Well, here we are, Yuri. I warn you, my room is a little messy right now, so I apologize in advance."

Yuri shrugged casually. "I don't mind, Father. It's not as if I'm going to be staying here anytime soon."

Abel chuckled and waggled his index finger as if he was admonishing a child. "You never know."

Yuri did not say what he was thinking. Some thoughts were better kept inside. Being rude to the one person who had been nice to him thus far was a foolish tactic.

"Well, here we are!" Abel exclaimed, throwing his doors open with a goofy smile on his face. The room did not look anything like Abel had described it. Everything was cleaned to the point of being creepy. His sheets on his bed had no wrinkles, and the floor was completely spotless of dust. It was so clean that the tiled floor seemed to glisten when the sun fell on it. The only thing that looked remotely out of place was the fresh batch of priest robes that were lying on the bed.

"Dirty, eh?" Yuri replied with a small smirk on his face.

"Well…it was earlier. I guess Her Eminence had people come and fix it up."

Yuri scoffed and looked around the room. What was with the Vatican and all the dark colors? Did they not know there were much better colors out there?

Abel clasped his hands together. "Well then, I'm going to leave you here to shower and change your clothes. The bathroom is right over there." He pointed in its direction, still wearing his perpetual smile.

"You're…going to leave me all alone?" Yuri said incredulously. Was this man completely insane? Yes he was…odd, but Yuri thought he would have _some_ common sense.

"All alone?" Abel seemed to ponder that question for a while before shaking his head. "Oh no, not alone. It's against regulations for me to do that. I'll simply be waiting outside the door."

Yuri frowned. He thought so. In all honesty he would have been glad to be left alone, so he could collect his thoughts without people questioning him.

"I see. How much time do I have before meeting the Cardinal?"

"Until you're done. Don't take too long though. The Cardinal is a busy woman."

Yuri nodded in understanding, watching as the priest left him all alone in the room. As soon as he left, Yuri sighed and went to work cleaning himself up. The more presentable he was the better chance he had of being taken seriously, human or non-human.

The shower was quite refreshing. The water was not hard like it was in many hotels around the Vatican. Instead, it was like a soft trickle. The way these Vatican people were treating him, Yuri began to see that prehaps he did have a chance. Just maybe he might hit it off with the Cardinal. Hopefully, that Francesco guy was not there. Yuri had heard horrible rumors about that man.

As quickly as he could, Yuri dried his hair off and stepped out the bathroom so he could change. _Francesco may be insane, but I doubt he'll want me killed when I say who I am…or was anyway._

For some reason, that thought was hardly comforting.

Putting on the priest robes, he sighed, noting that they were a little too big on him. The robes obviously belonged to that gangly priest, Abel. Yuri wiped his hands on his pants, hoping to take out all the crinkles as he returned to his chaotic thoughts.

He wondered what the Vatican was going to question him about. Were they going to interrogate him about the murder? Or were they going to go back to his…_previous _records and use it against him?

_Damn it. There's no hope for me._

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Sorry to bother you, Mister Yuri, but are you done? If not then uh…just go back to what you were doing and ignore me."

"I thought you said I could have as much time as I wanted?"

Yuri frowned when he heard a soft cough.

"I did…but well, things have changed…"

"Right, right. Hang on, Father, I'll be there in a second." Yuri straightened out his robes once again, and then headed towards the door. As soon as he opened it, Abel beamed and nodded.

"You look quite nice as a priest."

"Heh…if you say so, Father."

"You should try the profession, I'm sure you would attract a lot of attention."

Yuri frowned. "No thanks, Father. I mean no offence by this statement, but I personally find your religion ridiculous, and a waste of time."

Abel coughed as if choking on something, and then gazed at Yuri slightly wide eyes. "H-How is that not offensive?"

Yuri shrugged slightly. He was not being offensive…was he? So, it seemed speaking your mind here in the Vatican was frowned upon. He'd have to store that in his memory for future reference.

Abel sighed, and shook his head. "Yuri, are you completely ready to go? You might be gone from your room for a while."

"I'm ready, Father. I just want to hurry and get this over with so I can continue my job."

"Your…job? What is your job?"

"You'll have to wait and find out now won't you, Father?"

Abel chuckled. "Yes you're right. Well then, let's go shall we?"

Yuri followed Abel across the vast compound toward the Cardinal's office, his boots loudly hitting the ground as they went. Many of the clergy that passed them nodded their heads in respect to Yuri as if pleased he had chosen to become a clergyman. If only they knew that was not so.

Abel glanced over at him on occasion, though Yuri had no idea why. It was starting to get annoying.

"Can I help you?" Yuri whispered.

"Uh…no, it's just well…I…you're quite short aren't you?"

Yuri's eye twitched. Okay, what brought this question about?

"Erm…anyway! We're here."

Before Yuri could angrily respond, Tres broke into the conversation from a few feet away.

"Status report, Father Nightroad."

"Everything is fine, Tres. Is the Cardinal ready?"

"Affirmative," Tres replied, opening the door for the two of them.

Yuri casually took a deep breath, feeling a wave of nausea wash over him. _Calm down, Yuri. You're an official…or was one. Even so, you should still remember how to keep your cool. You can't let these humans see they intimidate you._

Abel seemed to sense his anxiety as he turned to address him, a small sad frown on his face. "Yuri, are you going to be all right? You don't look well."

"Yes, I'll be fine, Father. Thank you for your concern."

"Well…all right. If you start to feel sick, I can ask the Cardinal to push back the interrogation for another day."

Yuri's eyes widened slightly, though he tried his best to keep his face as stoic as possible. Abel would do something like that for him? _You're…too kind, Father. You need to be a bit more careful…_

"I'll remember that, Father."

Abel nodded, entering the room before Yuri. Taking a deep breath, he followed slowly, as if trying to delay his impending doom.

As they entered the room, the Cardinal and some other priests and nuns stood to greet them.

Forcing a small smile on his lips, Yuri bowed politely, hoping his nervousness could not be detected.

"Hello, Mister Kostka," said Caterina with a small smile, "I have heard quite a bit about you."

* * *

**_Author note:_** Originally, this chapter was much, much longer. I had to cut it down or it would be past 13 pages. Well, I hope you all liked it. 


	3. Cardinal Caterina

**_Author note: _**Sheesh, apparently I have 51 hits, but no one is leaving a review. Would it kill you to write one? o.O It would only take a few minutes (or seconds) of your time. Bajeebus... -.- If I don't get at least one, I'll have to think about whether I want to continue this...even though I've already done like 12 chapters...

**_Chapter Three: Cardinal Caterina_**

Yuri tried to keep his eyes on her face, which was not too hard. The Cardinal was quite a breathtaking woman. "You…know who I am?"

The Cardinal nodded. "Please, sit down." She motioned to a chair in front of her desk.

Yuri tried to ignore the people in the room as he went and sat down. Something told him they were also members of AX. "Am I correct in assuming you know I had nothing to do with that murder then?"

"I would like to believe you had nothing to do with it."

_Ah…so she doesn't believe me? _

"Cardinal Sforza, I can assure you I had nothing to do with it."

"Ah yes, I know. The woman had puncture marks on her neck. A clear indication that you did not do it."

Yuri sighed with relief. So far, this Caterina woman showed promise as a leader despite her age. That was a good sign. However, he was not out of the doghouse yet.

"Your records show that you have been cleared of charges am I right?"

Cleared of charges? Charges for what? Oh…yes, that.

"Yes. However, that does not change the damage I have done."

Everyone in the room looked at one another, confused as to what the Cardinal and Yuri were talking about. It was nice to know that they did not know about him. If they did, they would probably stare at him as if he was some kind of monster.

Caterina nodded solemnly, a small sympathetic frown appearing on her face. "At least you acknowledge that you did wrong. Many do not do that."

Yuri shifted in his chair, hoping the conversation would gear itself elsewhere. Caterina seemed to sense this because as quickly as she addressed Yuri on that topic, she changed it.

"May I ask what a person such as yourself would be doing here?"

"I'm…well, studying the people of Rome, really."

"Studying the people? Care to explain?"

Yuri shifted again. "Well…the Elder said that the best punishment is to see how foolish my hatred was…to truly know the people I so hated in otherwords. I suppose she wants to make me feel guilt for what I have done in the past…"

The Cardinal nodded slowly, her face unreadable.

"The Elder? Could you be talking about Lucyna?"

Yuri glanced over at who had spoken. A man with dark brown hair and an air of importance and knowledge watched him intently as he bit on the end of his pipe. He seemed nonchalant; however, Yuri was sure that he was more curious than he was letting on.

"Yes, sir. The very leader of the Republic itself."

"Ah, but I wonder what you did wrong to have her have to punish you? I heard she was quite benevolent."

"Yes, true. However, she must be hard on those who break the law…no matter how kind she is. That makes a good leader, does it not?"

The man nodded his head, his fingers lightly tapping on his knee. He said nothing else, but Yuri could feel that he wanted to continue his questioning. What caused him to break off?

The Cardinal looked around the room, waiting for someone to say something else.

"E-Excuse me," said that very nun that Yuri had met earlier that day. He could not believe he had not noticed her fiery red hair.

"Yes, what is it, Esther?" The Cardinal asked.

"I hope I don't sound rude for asking this, but what are you, Mister Kostka? The Cardinal makes it sound as if you're a Methuselah. Is that what you are?"

A Methuselah? Well, Yuri supposed they were quite similar. It was no wonder the girl was confused as to what he was. "No. I'm a dragon."

"A dragon?!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her chair. "B-But how can that be?"

"There's many scientific reasoning for it, but I'm sure you don't want to hear it. You probably would not understand."

"I never knew there was a kingdom full of dragons," Esther continued, looking over at the brown haired man who had spoken earlier.

"There's not exactly many, and it's not as if they have a gigantic empire like the Empress, but they exist. They're just not like the fairy tale dragons you're thinking of Esther."

Esther stared at Yuri as if he was God himself, causing him to look elsewhere. He hated when people looked at him like that. He was not special. Humans could be so amusing sometimes.

"Anyone else have questions for Mister Kostka?"

The room was silent.

"Very well then. All of you are dismissed. I need to speak to him in private."

Yuri glanced at the floor, listening to the shuffling of clothes as the people left the room.

"Wait, Abel, could you wait outside the door. I need to speak to you later."

"All right…" Abel replied.

The doors closed, and soon silence once again wafted into the room. The Cardinal clasped her hands together a thoughtful expression on her face as she regarded Yuri.

"I'm going to hide your records."

"W-What? Why would you do…" he stopped. Of course that was a good course of action. If someone from the Inquisitorial Department saw his records, chances are he'd be executed, even if he was pardoned of his crimes in his homeland. "I see. What do you plan on accomplishing by doing that, Cardinal? You're putting your position in jeopardy by helping me. If your brother, Francesco finds out---."

"I'm quite aware, Mister Kostka. Don't think I'm letting you off easy. I trust you, but that does not mean you're going to walk around Rome unattended." The Cardinal smiled at this.

"Ah…I see. You trust me, and yet you don't…"

"You'll have to forgive me for being cautious. I won't do anything to stop you from your research. However, I will keep an eye on you."

Yuri bowed his head slightly in understanding. Caterina was sharp. Luckily he had bumped into her first.

"So, what are you going to do? Pretend that I'm a priest in training?"

"I do believe that is a good idea. I'll register you as an AX member. Since you were apart of Fleur du Mal, I'm guessing you have some fighting experience. Besides, your records show your handy work."

Yuri winced. He was sure the Cardinal did not mean to be offensive, but her words cut him like a knife.

"I meant no harm, Mister Kostka…" she looked at him sadly.

"Understood. There's no need to apologize. The past is the past. Miss…erm…I mean Cardinal."

"You may drop formalities when no one is around. It relieves tension I believe."

Yuri smiled softly. "Thank you, Miss Caterina, and you may call me Yuri if you wish. It's better than the both of us saying our last names all the time."

She nodded.

"So, let me summarize all you've told me. I am to become a member of AX and help out with missions?"

"Yes. Are you against this?"

"No. I think that would be best."

Caterina stood up and walked over to her window. "Using your powers is prohibited. If you did use them, someone would recognize you for what you are, putting both of our positions in jeopardy. I wonder…can you fight without your powers?"

"I've done fairly well without it." Actually, Yuri had not had to fight in quite a long time. He was not sure he still had the heart to do it anymore. Though he was still young by his people's terms, he felt much older.

"Good. Yuri, how is your arm? Did Abel fix it adequately?"

"Yes. He did his best. I think it should heal soon. I give it about another day."

"That's good." Caterina watched a bird hop around on the windowsill, a small smile growing on her face. "I'm assigning you to Tres for now. I believe you've met him already."

Yuri winced again. Yes, he had met the strange man before. He could never forget about him. After all, that was the same man who had almost blown his head clean off his shoulders. "Yes, I've met _him._"

Caterina chuckled. "It's only temporary. You'll soon see that Tres is not as bad as you think."

Yuri wanted to say what he was thinking. However, he knew better than to push the Cardinal too much with his personal opinions. "I'll try to see him the way you do."

"Very good. I feel you'll get along just fine. You are dismissed, Yuri. Tres will be waiting for you outside. Oh, and before you leave, please call Abel inside. I need to talk to him."

Yuri stood up and reluctantly walked over to the door. He was becoming quite fond of the Cardinal. As soon as he opened it, Abel and Tres ceased whatever conversation they were having.

"How did your talk with the Cardinal go?" Abel asked.

"Very well. She seems to be a good person."

"Oh she is. You can trust her."

"It would seem so." Yuri turned his attention to the ever stoic Tres. In a way, the man reminded him of himself. He was constantly trying to keep his expression blank too. But there was something off about this man. His face seemed to never change. _And I'm going to be spending time with him. Joy. _"Abel, Miss Cat---the Cardinal wishes to see you."

Abel shuffled nervously and nodded. "Ah, yes. Well then, see you two later. Take good care of him, Tres. Don't scare him."

Tres frowned. "I do not understand how I could scare him. My mission is to watch him."

Abel chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, nevermind, Tres." He waved at the both of them, and then disappeared inside the room, leaving Yuri alone with Tres.

"Uh…so, what are we going to do, Father?"

Tres looked at him. "Her Eminence told me to take you to the cafeteria to replenish your energy while she talks to Father Nightroad."

"I see. So, what's for dinner?"

Tres began walking away, Yuri following behind him. "There is a great number of different foods. Most of which are desserts."

Ah…food. Yuri smiled at the thought. He had not eaten for such a long time, he wondered if he would be able to stomach it.

"Ah…Father, are you human?"

"Negative. I am a machine."

No wonder the man was so strange. He was not even a living creature. Yuri had been suspicious about the man being a machine a while back. His way of talking was simply too peculiar to be anything he could think of.

"I see. Well, that explains many things. Uh, Father, where are all the other members of AX? Shouldn't I get to know them?"

"Various locations. The closet ones for you to meet are Father Garcia and Sister Blanchett. The rest you will meet later."

Yuri nodded and did not say anything else the rest of the walk. Instead, he memorized the pathway to the cafeteria. He would need to know it in the future…that is, unless Tres was planning on picking him up every morning and evening. He hoped not.

---------------------------------------

"Do you understand, Abel? You are to watch him closely."

Abel nodded. "I understand that, Caterina. But…why? Do you suspect he may go back to Fleur du Mal?"

"No. I'm afraid he may become a target actually. Fleur du Mal does not take kindly to deserters."

"But…if that was the case, why do you think the leader of the Republic did that? Letting him go around by himself like that does not seem wise to me."

Caterina rested her head on her hand. Abel was right. That was foolish of Lucyna to do. Was she up to something? Or did she already know Yuri was going to encounter AX and had all this planned out in advance? If that was the case, the woman had to be brilliant to think all this through.

"I have no idea what is running through that cunning woman's mind. She is just as difficult to understand as Augusta is. However, I think she wanted Yuri to meet us. She might have already known that Fleur du Mal was after his head."

"Come to think of it…" Abel trailed off.

Caterina lifted her head, her blue eyes narrowing. "What do you know, Abel?"

"Well, earlier, someone sent us a letter that told us to check out that old bakery down the street. You know the one that the pope likes so much."

Caterina had felt horrible for Celeste. She had greatly loved the woman's cooking, as well as her happy-go-lucky personality. Her death had been a huge blow. _Poor little Alec. What am I to tell him?_ "Did this someone leave a name?"

"No. He just said hurry and check out the bakery. I was suspicious, so I had Tres come with me, just in case things got ugly."

So, this _had_ been planned out. Did that mean Lucyna had something to do with the Methuselah attack? Caterina rubbed her temples. It was getting late and she was thinking way too much. "I have no clue what is going on, and what makes it even more frightening, is that Yuri probably has no idea either."

Abel played with a loose string on his robe. "I feel sorry for him. He told me he's only been here for a few days and things have not been working out. It seems he has a bad impression of Rome now…well, a worse impression. I don't think he ever liked this place to begin with."

"That can't be helped. Hopefully, his opinion will change or things will be quite difficult for him in the future."

"Miss Caterina, are you going to tell the others about this?"

"No, not yet. I will only tell them that they are to keep an eye on Yuri at all times. He's an official, which makes him an important member of the Republic. His death could mean an all out war. I doubt Lucyna can keep her people in check for long."

Abel nodded. "And since Lucyna and Augusta are close…"

Caterina sighed. She wanted to throw herself across her desk in exasperation. This was just too much. "Yuri is too important to leave alone. You are to keep an eye on him at all times except for when he is sleeping or getting ready to freshen up. Lucyna is serious about her "children." Especially the young ones."

"I understand. I'll try my best, Miss Caterina. I wonder why you chose me. Esther has shown herself to be a good diplomat when she went with Ion to his country. She would be much better for this job."

"Yes, Esther would be excellent for it. However, Esther, though kind at heart, is not a bodyguard. She would be good for him emotionally, but would not be able to protect him during a mission."

"Ah, I see now. I'll do everything I can," Abel said, waiting patiently for Caterina to dismiss him.

One wave of her hand was all that was needed. Bowing, Abel departed, leaving Caterina alone so she could swim in her own ocean of thoughts.


	4. Information: The Republic

_**Information: Part One "The Republic"**_

**Author note:** Hi hi, peoples! Every two chapters or so, I'll be adding information about various things concerning the story. This way, you all won't be like, "wtf?" Personally, I think the little information chapter's help a lot, but that's just me… '' Some of the information you guys might already know, well, the parts that don't involve my made up Republic. xD

The Republic is a large council of humans and dragons. To keep it fair, there is an equal amount of human and dragon representatives. This keeps conflict from developing amongst the two groups.

The leader of the Republic, also known as the Elder, is Lucyna. She has been the leader for a very long time, before Armageddon actually. No one knows her age, but her wisdom has shown just how long she has been around. Lucyna has been given the name "Sorceress" by the Vatican due to her bewitching beauty. It is said once you look upon her face, you will follow her until the ends of time. Of course, this is untrue. Though Lucyna is quite beautiful, she has no mystical powers such as that. "If I did, I could have easily made those Vatican fools see just how stupid they have been in the past."

The Republic stretches from part of the Yaegrow Dukedom (a.k.a Poland), and through the Northern States. Due to its peaceful relations with the New Human Empire, the Republic has flourished into becoming a super power.

Though the Republic is close to the New Human Empire, it has no dislike of Rome, though dragons have had a bad history with the country. Lucyna's iron will has kept the dragons under control. For how long will this last? Time will only tell.


	5. The Relentless Guard Dog

**_Author Note:_** Hurray! Finally my first review. xD Thanks a bunch, Shadow. You made me feel a lot better.

_**

* * *

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_**Chapter Four: The Relentless "Guard Dog"**_

"Hello, Yuri!" Esther waved jovially as he entered the cafeteria.

The first thing he did was quickly look around the room for others before crossed over to where Sister Esther and the man he guessed was Father Garcia, sat at. Compared to small, petite, Esther, Father Garcia was like a giant bear. His black hair was like a shaggy mane, and he was quite muscular like someone who worked out for a hobby. Despite this, his presence was oddly calming.

"So, how did that meeting go, eh?" Leon asked instantly, not giving Yuri a chance to sit down before starting his questioning.

"It went---."

"That's rude, Father Leon! I can't believe you would just ask him questions without telling him your name!"

Leon looked hurt. "What? Well, you told him who I was, so what's the problem?"

Esther glared. "The problem is _you're _supposed to tell him, not me!"

Yuri bit his lip. These two were already getting on his nerves. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Tres watching him intently. It was a little more than disturbing.

"Anyway!" Leon rose his voice, filling the room. "What did the Cardinal say?"

Esther frowned, looking over at Yuri with interest.

"She…well…I am now officially a member of AX." Yuri shrugged and grabbed a piece of buttered bread, not sure if scarfing down the steak on the table was a good idea.

"What?" the two said in unison.

Yuri shrugged again.

"Well, you must be pretty good for Caterina to keep you here. So, are you going to be helping during missions?" Leon asked casually, grabbing a huge steak and putting in on his plate. "Hey Tres, you can sit down you know. You're making Yuri nervous."

"N-No…it's quite all right. I don't mind him standing behind me. Oh…yes, I'll be helping out."

"Good, good. Then we can become partners one day. I look forward to seeing how tough you are."

Yuri was silent. He was so tired of talking today.

"Yuri…um…can you tell me about this…Republic? I've never heard of it. I did not even know dragons existed."

"Talk the kid to death why don't you," Leon muttered, smirking when Esther glared at him once again.

Yuri tried not to sigh. "Exactly what do you wish to know?"

"What is the Republic?"

"The Republic is a council of dragons and some humans…hence why it is called the Republic."

Esther nodded, excitement shining in her eyes. Had she been waiting hours to ask him questions? "Who's Lucyna? Father William said she was the leader, but I don't know too much about her."

_If you know she's the leader, then why are you asking me who she is? Ugh…humans. _"She is, as you said, the leader. Lucyna is the oldest member we've had on the council, as well as the most cunning. Despite her reputation as a incredible politician, she is also an advocator of peace."

"Is she beautiful?"

Yuri stopped eating his bread. What did it matter? "She is quite beautiful, I suppose. I don't exactly pay attention to such things. My people judge character, not appearance."

Though Leon looked at if he was not interested in the conversation, Yuri could feel that he was. His silence was unnerving, but Yuri was determined to answer Esther's questions so she could get them out of her system.

"Oh I see. I asked because when you talk about her, she sorta sounds like Miss Caterina."

"They're similar, yes. However, Lucyna has more experience with politics. Anymore questions, Sister Esther?"

Esther twiddled her thumbs. "Well, can you tell me what a dragon looks like? Do they have wings?"

"No. And…well…we just---I can't explain this question. Sorry."

"Oh? Well, that's all right. You've answered enough of my questions. I'm so sorry. I bet you're starving and here I was just wasting your time…"

"Nonsense. I did not mind." He did mind. He just was not going to say that.

Esther and Leon spoke to him a few times while he was eating, but did not disturb him too much. It was almost like the two understood that he was literally starving. A few times, Leon tried to get Tres to speak, but the man only said a few words every now and then.

Time passed by quickly. How much? Well, Yuri was not exactly sure. It felt like hours had passed by since he first began becoming acquainted with Esther and Leon. Despite he the fact he found the two to be a bit too loud, or nosey, for his liking, he did become attached to them in that short time. They were quite interesting for humans.

Esther sighed and looked out the window. "Ah…it's really late. I wonder how long we've been in here."

Leon shrugged, his hands behind his head as he slouched in his chair. "An hour maybe? I dunno. All that food has made my head foggy."

Yuri had to agree. He felt tired now that he had eaten all the food. _Maybe I should eat slower next time…_

"Status report, Father Kostka."

Father? Yuri sighed. Great, now he was a priest. Yuri had come to understand that "status report" meant "how are you feeling?" He could not understand why Tres just did not say that. It would make things so much less awkward.

"I'm fine, Father Tres. Thank you."

"Father Iqus would be more proper. Father Tres is incorrect."

"Ah…yes…well then, I am fine, Father Iqus."

Leon guffawed, almost falling backwards in his chair. "You'll get used to him, kid. He's not half bad, though a little on the weird side."

"So I've noticed."

Leon grinned, showing his white teeth as he got up from his chair. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Yuri. You're a little bit too much like Hugue for comfort, but you're a cool guy."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

Leon laughed. "A compliment of course!"

Esther giggled, shaking her head as she too stood up. "I'm sorry, Yuri, but I must be leaving you ask well. I have to join in with the nightly prayers. You could come too if---."

Yuri answered quickly. "No thank you."

"Not into the church stuff either, huh? Well, don't worry. I'm going to go to bed instead of doing that. It's a waste of time if you ask me."

"A-A waste of time?! Father Leon!" Esther exclaimed, horrified.

"What? It is dull. I'll probably go to sleep before it's even finished." Leon stretched, grinned at Yuri and left the room, Esther at his heels, complaining as she went after him.

"They're…peculiar," Yuri said tiredly.

"Peculiar? I don't understand what you mean."

"I guess you wouldn't. It's all right, Father Iqus…"

Yuri closed his eyes. He was so tired now. Days without much sleep had finally begun to take its toll on him. Whether it was the food that brought his exhaustion about, or his body finally telling him it was time to rest, Yuri planned to leave soon.

"You are tired. Your body is beginning to show signs of exhaustion," Tres said.

"I'm not that tired."

"You need to rest."

Tres was right. He did need rest. Running his mind over the events of today were not helping him. If anything, they were simply making him even more tired.

"All right, all right. I'll go to bed. I…uh…do not know where my room is though. Earlier, Father Abel took me to his, but that was simply because of my…_circumstance."_

"Her Eminence already has a guest room prepared for you. I'll lead you there now." Not waiting for an answer, Tres walked away.

Yuri sighed. More walking? The Vatican seriously needed to do a bit of remodeling. All this walking was starting to get on his nerves.

Tres did not say anything to Yuri as they walked down the hallway. It was almost as if he was afraid that if he spoke to him that he would completely wake him. The path to wherever Tres was taking Yuri was not as far away from the cafeteria as he thought. It would take a bit of walking, but if he wanted to, he would make it to the cafeteria in less than twenty minutes.

When Tres suddenly stopped, Yuri almost crashed straight into him.

"What? Why are we stopping?"

"Here's your room. It has been made to accommodate you in the best way possible. If there is something you do not like, be sure to tell me so I can relay the information to Her Eminence."

"Uh…yes. Thank you, Tr---Father."

Tres nodded, still standing outside the door.

"Aren't you going to leave?"

"Negative. I am to watch you."

"Er…so you're just going to stand here?"

"Positive."

Yuri felt anxious about Tres standing outside his door like a guard dog. But it was better than him being alone in a building where just about anyone could kill him if they knew who he was. He should've thanked Tres, but his pride told him not to. There was no reason to thank the man. He was a machine that was given an order. He did not watch Yuri because he wanted to.

"All right…uh…good night?"

"Good night, Father Kostka."

Yuri sighed. "Can you just call me Yuri?"

"Negative."

"Why is that a 'negative?'" Yuri asked, annoyed.

"It is not the proper way to address a fellow clergyman."

Yuri threw his hands in the air with exasperation. "Whatever. Geez you give me a headache. I'm leaving now." With that said, he walked into his room, turning on a light. The room almost looked like Abel's, except his sheets were an annoying white color rather than baige.

"Geez, does the Vatican not know that white is dull?" he said, sighing dramatically and walking over to his bed, sitting down. Sighing again, Yuri laid back in his bed. He had been sighing way too much lately. Was that a bad sign? Probably. Everyone here, minus Caterina, was just so…weird. He was not used to people being so open with their emotions. Dragons were trained to withhold things like that, or at least in public they were. The Vatican so far…did not seem as horrible as he had thought.

"Is this what you wanted me to see, Elder?" he said to himself as he stared at the ceiling. No, he still had to get to know these people. For all he knew, they might turn on him later.

"Think positive, Yuri. Stop thinking of the bad things and just relax for now. These people have volunteered to help you. The least you can do is be a bit more civil."

Closing his eyes, he smiled softly, his mind going back towards Abel. What did Caterina talk to him about? He would have loved to ask the man, but he had not seen him all day. Maybe…

"Father Iqus," Yuri called.

Instantly Tres was inside the room, stepping towards him. "What is it?"

Yuri sat up, yawning. "Do you know where Abel is? I want to talk to him before I go to bed."

"Negative. Abel was last seen with Lady Caterina."

"Is he on a mission?"

"Negative."

Yuri laid back down. Where the hell was he? When he needed the priest he was no where to be around.

"Status report, Father Kostka."

"I'm fine. Thank you for asking. I'll be going to bed now. If you see Abel, tell him I wish to speak to him…all right?"

"Affirmative. Good night." Tres bowed slightly and left the room, closing the door behind him.

_Well, Tres does not seem as creepy as before. I guess that's good,_ he thought, closing his eyes and finally going to sleep.

* * *

Abel yawned as he walked down the hallway. Where exactly was Tres? He had asked some of the other clergymen if they had seen him, but they all said the last place they had seen him was in the cafeteria with Esther and Leon.

_Maybe…I should just find those two. I think that would save a lot of trouble._

Chances were, Esther was the easiest one to find. She was probably at the main alter, praying as she usually did before heading off to bed. If he could just catch up to her before then…

"Oh yes!" he exclaimed, finally remembering something. He could just contact Tres using his telecommunication set. "I can't believe I did not think of that before…"

Abel searched his pockets, trying to see if he could find the small headphones. However, he was without luck. He must have dropped them somewhere in the building again.

"Oh darn…" he sighed, continuing his trek down the hallway. Well, that was a waste of time.

"Father Nightroad, why are you wandering the hallway so late?"

That voice…could it be Tres? Abel turned, narrowing his eyes slightly. He had walked straight past the man. How? Well, he just was not paying attention hard enough it would seem.

"Tres, why are you over here? Aren't you supposed to be with Lady Caterina?"

"I am following Lady Caterina's orders of watching Father Kostka."

"So this is where he was?" Abel said.

"You have not answered my question Father Nightroad. Why are you wandering the hallways so late at night?"

Abel smiled. Tres was always so straight to the point. "I was just trying to find out where you and Yuri had wandered off to. I had…things to do earlier so I could not join you."

Tres nodded slowly.

"Is…is he asleep?"

"Positive. Yuri went to sleep twenty minutes ago."

"Ah…well then, that's good. I was worried that he was not going to go to sleep and that you might have to use…uh, force to make him do so."

"Do not worry, that was not required. Father Kostka went to sleep without complaint," Tres replied.

"Good. I feel sorry for him…"

Tres was silent, waiting for Abel to speak up again. When it seemed the man was not going to do so, he spoke instead. "Father Kostka wished to speak to you earlier."

Abel's eyes widened slightly. "He did? Why?"

"Unable to confirm why."

"Ah…well…" Abel trailed off. What should he tell Tres? "I'll speak to him tomorrow then. I don't want to wake him up right now."

"Affirmative. That seems like a good course of action. Waking Father Kostka now will ruin his ability to return to sleep."

Abel took off his glasses, cleaning them off. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Tres. Take good care of Yuri in the meantime for me."

"Affirmative. Good night, Father Nightroad."

Abel put his glasses back on, smiled, and waved at Tres as he once again took the long trek down the hallway to his room, wondering what it was that Yuri had wanted to talk to him about.


	6. The Festival of Literature

**_Author Note: _**Thanks a bunch to all who reviewed! You guys make me feel awesome -huggles- I'm glad Yuri's "bastard-ish" persona is entertaining to you all. There's a reason he's that way. I blame it on the fact that he's spoiled. xD No one ever tells him off, so he just keeps on acting the way he does. However, that's how I love Yuri. He's blunt and to the point.

Anyways, this is a long chapter as you have noticed. I tried to cut it shorter, but decided against it. It would have ruined the flow of thinsg if I had done that. This chapter is a slow one. It's mostly covering a bit more characterization before the actions starts to pick up (I'm such a sucker for characterization ;P).

_**Chapter Five: The Festival of Literature**_

Yuri yawned, almost rolling off his bed as he turned to stare out a nearby window. Morning had come quickly hadn't it? Well…it felt that way at least. He felt as if he had not slept for days, even though he was quite aware that he had slept for a long time. Chronic Fatigue. Prehaps that was what he was experiencing?

"Oh, shut it, Yuri," he said to himself as he crawled out of bed. "It's too early to be thinking…"

Yawning, he walked over to the bathroom so he could take a shower and clean up. There was no way he was walking out of his room without freshing up.

Fifteen minutes passed before he was done. Sleep had quickly disappeared from him after he had taken a semi-cold shower to bring his senses back up to speed.

"What time is it?" he said quietly. He needed to ask Tres later if he could get a clock put in his room. Not knowing what time it was made Yuri feel uncomfortable.

Yuri looked at himself in the mirror, frowning. He still looked very tired. Tres would probably send him back off to bed unless he did something to make himself look less sleepy. Turning on the faucet to cold, he threw cold water on his face, shivering when it touched him.

"Father Kostka."

"AHH!" Yuri screamed, whirling around.

Tres stood watching him with a small, almost imperceptible curious look on his face.

"GEEZ! What is with you?! Can you not knock? Or warn someone that you're going to magically appear in their bathroom like a damn ghost?!"

Tres tilted his head. "I do not see why you are so angry. I have called you approximately four times before coming into the bathroom."

Yuri slowly calmed down, forcing his breathing to return to its normal pace.

"Is that so? Well then…you could knock at least."

Tres frowned. "I did not deem it necessary to knock."

"You did not---no, calm down, Yuri. Calm down." Breathing in and out slowly once again, Yuri fought to keep his temper under control. There was no point in getting angry at Tres. Actually, there was no point in getting angry at all. Why was it this one man could make him so frustrated? "What do you want, Father?"

"I have come to bring you breakfast. You missed it."

"I...what? Why didn't you wake me up then, Tres?" he said, using the priest's first name without meaning to.

"You needed recovery time."

"B-But I'm fine."

"You are fine now, but earlier you were not."

"UGH!" Yuri exclaimed sitting on the toilet holding his head. This whole conversation was giving him a headache.

Tres watched him curiously for a minute before speaking again. "Father Nightroad came by last night and earlier this morning."

Yuri looked up. "He did? And…you did not wake me…again."

"You---."

"Needed recovery time, I know."

Tres was silent, waiting for him to say something else. He did not have to wait long.

"Where is Abel now?"

"He is with Esther in town right now. He should be back later."

"Right…" Yuri sighed. Well, he would have to put off his questions to Abel for now…again. This was turning out to be a _great _morning. "Tres, I'm being mean to you. Sorry. I'm not a morning person."

"I am a machine. Your words have no effect on me."

"It…it doesn't matter. I shouldn't be treating you this way even if you are a machine. It's not right."

Tres watched him again, his silence returning.

"Tres…do you know what time it is?"

"2:00."

Yuri was quiet, slowly looking up at Tres. It was obvious that his temper was boiling close to the edge. "2:00? Did I hear you right?"

"Positive. It is 2:01 now."

Yuri's eye twitched. "2:01…"

Tres nodded.

"By the gods!" Yuri exclaimed, jumping up from his seat on the toilet. "Why oh why?! UGH!" he walked out the bathroom, throwing himself on the bed like an angry child.

Tres followed after him, his frown deepened. "Status report, Father Kostka."

"You give me such a headache. Why is that?"

"I do not understand how I can give you headache. There is medicine in the cabinet. Do you wish for me to get it for you?"

Yuri turned so half his face was visible. "No thank you, Tres. I'll just lay here and sulk."

"Sulk?"

"Yes…sulk. That and wondering if staying here is worth it. I feel like telling the Elder that I'll just waste away inside the Eternal Prison or something. That would be better than all this insanity."

"I do not understand why you would wish to do that."

"Tres, Tres, Tres…" Yuri buried his head in the softness of his sheets. What point was there in explaining? Tres would not understand. So far, he could not comprehend how much Yuri found him annoying or the fact that he was just frustrating him. "Can we go out for a walk?"

"Positive. A walk would make you feel better by 90 percent."

"I think a walk would make me feel much better too. I'm not sure about the percent thing but…whatever."

Tres nodded. "Before we leave, you must eat. Your energy will quickly be depleted if you do not do so."

"My energy, huh? Fine. Where is the food?"

"I put it over there." Tres pointed to a small table near a window. Even from that distance, Yuri could see the steam rising off the mug of coffee and the eggs and sausage. If it was 2:00…or probably 2:05 by now, why was the food still hot?

"Tres, did you heat that up for me?"

"Positive."

Yuri bit his lip, feeling guilty about the way he had been acting once again. "Thank you, Tres. You have been…" he stopped, not saying what he was thinking. Annoying and stubborn. "kind."

Tres waited as Yuri ate his meal. He watched patiently as he ate with a snails pace, not sure why the young dragon was so against eating. Was it because something was bothering him? Was that why? Earlier, Yuri had shown signs of distress at his treatment, but Tres could not comprehend why. _Watch him,_ Caterina had said. _Make him feel comfortable._

Tres had tried doing just that. However, it seemed his efforts only make Yuri even angrier.

"Something wrong, Father? You're staring at me."

Tres blinked. "Negative, Father Kostka."

"Are you sure?"

Tres could hear the uncertainty in the young dragon's voice. He could tell that much from his data banks that he was worried about him. "Positive."

"Well…if you say so." Yuri watched Tres for a minute, and then turned back to his plate of food, once again spooning it around as if it would come to life and eat him.

* * *

"Is the city always this noisy?" Yuri asked, watching a woman trying to calm her wailing children.

"Affirmative. It is always like this."

"Sheesh. No wonder those stuck up old men at the Vatican are so angry all the time. All this noise makes it impossible to rest."

"Negative. It quiets down past 6:00."

"Ah…well I suppose that makes things better."

Tres walked beside Yuri as they strolled down the street. The streets _were_ unusually busy today. Even he could notice it. Tres assumed it was because of the Literature Festival. It was the proper month for it to appear after all.

"People are really excited today. Is something special going on? Like the pope coming outside to give a speech or something?"

"Negative. There is a festival that has begun today."

"A…" Yuri stopped, thinking. A festival? That seemed like a good place to do a little research on the people of the Vatican. "Tres, can we go later?"

"Affirmative."

Yuri smiled gently. "Thank you…"

"There is no need to thank me."

"Ah, I see. Forgive me then. It's a habit." Yuri beamed at Tres leaving the android feeling confused about the personality change the young dragon was exhibiting. "Ah, so this is where the Vatican Library is."

Tres looked towards the tall building a few feet away.

"Affirmative. The library has always been here."

Yuri chuckled. "It's funny really. When you want to find something you can't, but when you're not thinking about it, it appears to you. Don't you find that to be ironic, Tres?"

"Ironic?"

"It seems…hmm…how can I explain this. Ironic means well…I can't explain it." Yuri stared at the library like a lost kitten. Was there something there he wanted to see? Now that he was a priest, he could enter it without having to get a permit.

"Do you wish to enter the library, Father Kostka?"

"W-What? I can enter it?"

Tres nodded. "You are a clergyman now. Therefore, you can get inside without a permit."

Yuri frowned. "So earlier I needed a permit. Heh…so even if I had gotten here two days ago, I still would not have been allowed inside…"

"Affirmative."

"Ah…yes, how deeply ironic. I suppose it worked out for the best for me to meet all of you."

"You never answered my question, Father Kostka. Do you wish to enter the library?"

"Y-Yes! I'd love that, Tres."

"Then follow me."

Yuri nodded vigorously, doing just that.

The guards at the entrance were somewhat difficult, but Tres got Yuri inside without any more fuss. Judging by how happy the young dragon seemed, Tres thought that he was doing a good job of _making him comfortable._ The day's previous trouble seemed to have completely evaporated from Yuri's mind as he looked around with wide eyes at all the books.

"Wow! This is purely amazing. I have not seen a library this large in a long, long time."

Tres watched as Yuri felt the book shelves. He could not understand why he was so excited about this. But he was glad the young dragon was happier and less somber than he was this morning and yesterday as well.

"Tres, is there a book about Fleur du Mal in here?"

"Negative. Such information should not be leaked to the public. Files on Fleur du Mal are kept at the Hall of Angels."

"Erm…which is… what?"

"A war room."

"Why is it called the Hall of Angels if it's a war room? Humans are odd."

Tres could agree. Humans were odd.

"Oh well. I'll just read up on Vatican culture or something…" Yuri looked around, a look of confusion crossing his handsome features.

"Status report, Father Kostka."

"Uh…do you know where such information is? I would search but…I fear that would take much too long."

"Positive." Tres led him towards the second floor. It took Tres ten minutes to find what would have taken a normal human an hour, or even another day, to find.

As Yuri read the book, Tres went back to his normal routine of watching him diligently. He wondered why this interest in the Vatican. Yuri seemed to hate everything about it, or at least that was what his files had said. However, now, the files seemed to contradict itself.

Hours passed before Yuri closed the book, a small frown on his face. He sat in his chair looking at the floor in thought.

Tres hesitated for a moment. "Status report."

Yuri continued to stare at the floor, his frown not leaving his features. "So that's what happened in this countries history. How interesting….

"You never answered my question, Father Kostka."

"Oh? I'm fine, Tres..."

Tres nodded. "Is there anything else you wish to know, Father Kostka?"

Yuri ran a hand through his dark hair. "No. I think that's enough for now. I'll come back tomorrow if I'm able…or if you'll bring me that is." He looked up, an imploring look on his face.

Tres filed that expression under 'hopeful.' It seemed to fit with the situation. "Tomorrow I may be gone on a mission, meaning you will be watched by another member of the AX Agency."

"Ah…" Yuri sounded disappointed, his gaze dropping back to the floor.

Tres kept his frown from deepening. Did he do something wrong again?

"So, do you think we can go to that Festival now, Tres?"

"Positive. However, we cannot stay long. Five hours have passed since you have been reading."

"That long?! Sheesh…"Yuri looked up at the ceiling, leaning back in his chair. "Oh well, I gained knowledge, so that's good. This festival should help me much more than these books. Don't you agree, Tres?" He looked over at him with a small smile.

Tres nodded. He was doing a good job with his mission. Lady Caterina would be very pleased later when he gave her his report on Yuri Kostka.

* * *

"Has anyone seen Father Iqus and Father Kostka?" Abel asked a few nuns who passed by.

"Father who?" One of the nuns asked.

"Ah…never mind." Abel smiled, waving his hands about.

The nuns looked at one another, shrugged and walked away.

Abel sighed. How was he supposed to watch Yuri if Tres was constantly moving him around?

"Any luck, Father?" Esther asked as she came from around the corner.

"No. How about you, Esther? Please tell me you know where they are."

Esther smiled weakly and shook her head. "Sorry, Father. No one knows where they are. Some people don't even know who Yuri is."

Abel crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Where could they have gone? I wanted to take Yuri to the Festival of Literature. I bet he would've liked that…"

"Are you sure, Father? His people hate Rome don't they? I mean…they're similar to the Methuselah, so wouldn't the Vatican be against them too?"

"I…well; Yuri doesn't seem to hate it."

"We don't really know that, Father. For all we know, he may despise us too…"

Abel shook his head, refusing to believe that. Yuri did not hate them. If he did, he would show it…wouldn't he? Then again, dragons were said to be hard to read. It did not matter though. Abel chose to see the good in him.

"He doesn't. I can feel it, Esther."

"But you've hardly spoken to him, Father." Esther frowned. "How can you be so sure?"

"Have I been wrong in judging people before?"

"W-Well…no. I'm sorry, Father. I…I was being foolish."

"No you weren't. You were just being cautious, Esther."

He smiled as he watched Esther shuffle back and forth, a small blush on her face. "Ah, Esther, how about we go to the Festival? I have a feeling we'll bump into Yuri and Tres there."

Esther face lit up. "Are you serious, Father?"

Abel chuckled, patting Esther on the head. "Why of course. We'll go, have a good time, and check up on how those two are doing. We'll be killing two birds with one stone."

Esther smiled and nodded. "Y-Yes! Let's go."

* * *

Yuri and Tres spent a few pleasant hours at the Literature Festival. The young dragon had instantly taking a liking to its environment, saying it reminded him of home. Tres was not quite sure what he meant by that statement, but did not say anything to show his confusion. Instead, Tres followed him around, keeping track of where he ran off to. Compared to earlier that day, it now seemed Yuri actually wanted Tres around. Prehaps because he loved to talk? Tres assumed that was it.

Yuri's personality was so different now; Tres had to run a check over him to make sure he was the same person and not a double.

"Hey, Tres, can I head over there?" Yuri pointed towards a bunch of books concerning the Church of Rome.

"Positive."

"Ah, thank you, Tres." With a small nod, he bounded off towards the stack of books, instantly drawing the young salesclerk into a conversation.

Like an obedient bodyguard, Tres kept watch on him. Yes, Yuri's personality had done a complete 360. What could bring about such a change? Tres felt he would have to ask Father Abel later if he got the chance.

Watching Yuri became a bit more difficult as more people began appearing. Tres' height made it impossible to see over many of them. The sea of people pushed against him as if trying to lead him away. That was illogical though. Why would they do that?

"Tres!"

Quickly the android turned his head in the voices direction. His sensors told him that it was Father Abel who had spoken to him. Sure enough, the person in question pushed his way through the crowd smiling widely. Behind him, Esther tried forcing her way through as well, frustration evident on her face.

"Ugh! What is with all these tourist? They weren't this bad a few minutes ago!" Esther exclaimed, receiving a glare from a few tourist.

"Shh, Esther! You'll hurt someone's feelings talking like that," Abel admonished, waggling his index finger.

Tres ignored the two, looking over to where Yuri should have been. However, the young dragon was gone.

"So, Tres where is---h-hey! Where are you going?" Abel said, running after him.

Yuri had snuck away from Tres, feeling proud of himself for doing so. This was the first ounce of privacy he had all day.

_

* * *

_

_I'm sorry, Tres. I just needed a little time alone,_ he thought as he hid amongst a rack full of books about lost technology. He honestly hoped Tres was not too far away. If something were to happen, Yuri might end up in big trouble…especially with the Cardinal.

"Hello, sir," a smooth, deep, melodic voice broke his thoughts.

Yuri looked away from the book rack, his gaze falling on a handsome man with long, waist length black hair, along with a black tailored suit. In the man's gloved hands, he held a cigar, the smoke dancing as it went into the air.

Yuri tensed, suspicious. He did not trust this man. There was something about him that reminded him of when he was with the organization. "Hello, sir. Uh…can I help you?"

The man shook his head. "I could not help but notice you resemble a scholar like myself. I could be wrong however…"

Yuri forced a smile. "No, you're not wrong. I am a scholar of sorts…mister...ah…"

"Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer." The man bowed, his long hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall. "Since we share a similar interest, do you mind telling me your name?"

Yuri hesitated. Should he? Something screamed at him not to tell this man anything, but then again, he had been wrong before. His thoughts had told him not to trust the AX Agency when he had first met them.

"Yuri Kostka."

"What a rare name. I have not heard Yuri in quite a long time. Your last name however…makes me wonder if you are perhaps Polish." Isaak tilted his head to the side slightly.

Yuri smiled. This man was bright. Then again, Abel had gotten it… "Yes, sir. How did you know that?"

"I went to that country a while back. It's quite nice. The people are all so willing to help foreigners blend in."

"Yes they are…" Yuri stopped, thinking of what to ask Isaak. "Excuse me Mister Kämpfer, but where do you come from? I can tell you're not from here…"

Kämpfer smiled. "Albion."

"Really? I always wanted to go there. That will have to wait however. I have to do…ah, God's work here."

"I see. Well, I wish you luck with that, Father Kostka. I have work to do, so I'm afraid we won't be able to talk anymore."

Yuri frowned. He had to leave already? "All right. It was nice meeting you, Mister Kämpfer. I hope we bump into each other again."

"We might. I have a client here. Prehaps we'll see each other around town?" Kämpfer's black eyes seemed to sparkle. Though with what, Yuri was not sure.

"Maybe. Where are you staying?"

"A hotel near here."

Yuri nodded. "Well then, I suppose we might be seeing each other again, if God wills it that is."

"Let's hope so." Kämpfer bowed and wished Yuri adieu as he disappeared in the crowd. Oddly enough, as soon as he left the crowd began to calm down.

_What a peculiar man…_Yuri thought. There was something about that man…

"Father Kostka, status report."

Yuri winced, slowly turning around. "Ah, hello, Tres. I'm fine."

"Why did you leave without telling me, Father Kostka?"

"Ah…well---Abel, Esther! It's nice to see the both of you," he said, changing the subject.

Abel and Esther appeared from the crowd, smiling gently.

"There you are, Yuri! You gave poor Tres quite a scare here," Abel said, pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

"I did not mean to…"

Tres watched him eerily, and then spoke up again. "You never answered my question, Father Kostka."

"Uh…there really was no reason, Tres. I got sidetracked and well…" he trailed off. "Whew, it's getting late. What time is it, Tres?"

"10:00."

"And these people are still out?" Yuri said incredulously. "Sheesh…"

Esther chuckled. "Yes, they are quite busy bees today. I honestly don't see what is so wonderful about this festival, but that's just me."

"Father Kostka, we should be heading back."

Yuri nodded. "You're right…"

"Yes, it's about time we went back too." Abel looked at Esther who nodded.

Yuri glanced at Tres apologetically. He did not mean to worry the android. That had not been his intent when he snuck away. However, he knew it was dangerous to do so, but had done it anyway. He would have to find a way to properly apologize to Tres later.

* * *

The trek back to the Vatican church had been long, and tiring. All the crowds made it hard to get anywhere without fighting your way through. The people did not even seem to care about the poor priests and nun who tried their best to get back to their church.

As soon as they entered the church, Esther yawned and told them good night, walking away towards her room.

Yuri walked behind Tres and Abel, thinking. Who was that Kämpfer man? Something about him was familiar. Had he read something about him somewhere? No…that could not have been it. He had never seen the man before until today. So, what was it?

"Something wrong, Yuri?" Abel asked.

"Ah, no. Thank you for asking, Father."

Abel pouted. "You call Tres, Tres, but you won't call me Abel?"

Yuri flushed with embarrassment. That was true. However, he only did that to Tres mainly as a way to annoy him…though it did not seem to have a desired effect. Androids could be so dull. "Did you want me to call you Abel?"

Abel nodded. "It would take away tension, I think. Calling someone Father this, and Father that, does get old."

"All right. I'll call you Abel then…"

The rest of the walk was silent. Before Yuri knew it, he was standing in front of the door to his room. Tres taking his position as "guard dog" by the door.

"Yuri…you wished to talk to me earlier didn't you? I came last night, and this morning, but you were sound asleep so…"

"Yes, I did wish to talk to you. Uh…come inside." Yuri wished Tres good night and stepped into his room with Abel trailing behind him.

Yuri walked over to his bed and sat down, pointing towards a chair near it so Abel could sit down.

"All right, what is it?" the priest said, doing just that.

"What did you talk to Caterina about yesterday?"

Abel seemed to hesitate for a split second. "Oh, just about you."

"About me? Why?"

"We wanted to try and come up with ways to make you feel more comfortable. Miss Caterina believed that you were distressed and unhappy about your situation, so she tried to come up with ideas to make you feel better."

"Is that all?"

"Yes. That was it. Well, we did talk about the Republic, but it was not anything important. Just small talk, really."

Yuri did not believe him. It was obvious Abel was lying. However, Yuri decided to leave things alone. Caterina and Abel were probably talking about his criminal record.

"Abel, I heard you went into the New Human Empire. Did you enjoy it?"

"W-Where did you hear this?"

Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Tres."

"Oh…well, yes I did---I mean, I did not enjoy it too much. It was nice, but well, then again it wasn't. I do have to say the temperature was just right. Not too hot, not too cold. Sorta reminds me of…"

Yuri rolled his eyes, tuning Abel out. He made a note to himself never to let Abel completely control a conversation. It seemed the man loved to ramble. "You know about my records…don't you?"

This statement made Abel shut his mouth, his blue eyes widening slightly. "I…well…you see…"

"There's no need to lie, Father. Just tell me."

"Ah…there you go using "Father" again. All right, all right. Yes, I know about you."

Yuri bit his lip. Did Abel know about everything? "Do you…do you know about what I did?"

Abel's eyes softened sadly. "Yes, I know…"

"Ah…I see. Well then…"

Abel cut him off. "Yuri, it's all right. You're not that sort of person anymore."

"And how would you know that, Father? I've only spoken to you once. You don't know me."

Abel was silent. If Yuri had upset him, he honestly did not mean to. He was just stating the facts. Then again…humans were very fragile emotionally. If you were too hard on them, they would break under the pressure. Yuri honestly hoped that would not happen now. He would not know what to do.

"I trust you, Yuri."

"Feh…that means a lot. You should not give your trust so easily, Father."

"Prehaps. But I know who to trust and who not to. I'm old enough to know that by now." Abel smiled.

Yuri watched him, fascinated. Abel was so odd to him, and yet, this oddness made him different from any other person he had ever met. However, for some reason, he felt uncomfortable around Abel. Tres was more desirable to be around than the priet. At least the android was less…emotional.

"I'm tired, Father. I believe I shall be heading to bed now." Yuri waited for Abel to leave for a few seconds. The priest did not look as if he was going anywhere anytime soon.

"Don't you ever want to talk about your pain, Yuri? It's not good to keep it inside…"

"Talk about my pain? Do you humans do this all the time? How morbid." Abel opened his mouth to say something, but Yuri effectively cut him off. "I have nothing to talk about, _Father_. What's done is done."

"Yuri...it may be done, but you still feel the pain here." Abel laid his hand on Yuri's chest where his heart was. "Covering it up and trying to hide it, does not make one feel better. No matter what they say, they still live with the guilt. I should know..."

Unsure of what to do, Yuri sat there, his muscles tensing at the touch. Human behavior was too familiar for his liking. Was this a human custom of comfort? If it was, it sure was not making him feel better.

"I am fine," he said, his voice firm. He was fine. Yes...that's right. He was absolutely, perfectly fine. Abel was just being paranoid...

Abel stared at him for a long time. The look a mixture between disappointment and sympathy.

"Very well," he said. "I'll leave you alone now." Abel stood and left without so much as another word, leaving Yuri lost in his confusion.


	7. The Mission

Hurray! The sixth…erm, well it would have been the fifth, chapter! Yuri will be a little bit more civil this time. Alas, poor Abel is going to have to deal with him…the poor guy. xD

Oh yes! I forget...

**FlyingShadow666: **Happy belated b-day! I'm glad you liked my present ; (coughdidn'tknowaboutitcough). Pssh, I'm psychic so I knew about it. xD (cough).

**Kasumita:** Lol. Yes, Yuri is quite a bookworm. You would think doing all that reading he would know _something_ about the Orden, but apparently not. Yes, I know the chapter was super long, but I couldn't shorten it. xD I'm glad you found it entertaining.

**Mel:** Holy craptastic! I've seen you before...like a long time ago. I used to have that anonymous name...a looong time ago. How creepy. Like, seriously...o.o; Anywayz, aww, I'm glad you like it. That makes me feel happy. Thanks, Mel. I'm glad you like Yuri too. xD I'm not put off by the reviews anymore. I was just happy to get one.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter Six: The Mission**_

"So me and Yuri are to basically deliver some package to Father Winslow in Londinium?" Abel said.

"Yes. It is an easy mission. I just want Yuri to get used to doing jobs for me," Caterina replied, sipping some of her lukewarm tea.

"That seems good. It's better than throwing him right into a serious mission."

Caterina nodded. "I will not make the same mistake I did with Esther. I want you to tell me how he does during the mission. Everything Abel. Even the small comments he makes. This will help us figure out just how well he would do a mission with a more serious nature."

"I have to remember _all_ that?" Abel whined.

Caterina could not help but chuckle at Abel's childish behavior. "Yes, you have to remember _all_ that. It's important, Abel."

"I know, I know…"

Caterina sipped her tea, looking out her window. It was a beautiful day. This was the perfect day for Yuri to do such an easy mission. The weather would brighten his spirits just as it had done four days ago.

Tres had appeared to her every night---via her orders---to relay information on Yuri's behavior. So far, the young dragon was being a "good boy." His personality changed from somber and reserved, to a bit more open, but just a bit. It would take time to break down the emotional barrier his people had formed around his heart.

"Miss Caterina…"

"Yes, Abel?"

"Ah…nothing."

Caterina frowned, looking up from her caramel tea. Every time Abel did this, she could instantly tell he was hiding something. "What is it, Abel? Hiding it form me won't do you any good."

"Ah…well, I was just wondering if there was a way we could get Yuri to eat more. He always seems to pick over his food. You know, I swear he's going to make himself sick if he continues this."

_That's not what you were thinking about, Abel._ Caterina knew better than to be upset at the way Abel kept information from her. She knew he meant no harm. That was simply his way of protecting her, as well as lying to himself.

"Make him eat then," she said.

"W-What? Make him eat?"

"That's right. Make him eat, even if you have to shove food down his throat."

"L-Lady Caterina!" Abel exclaimed, horrified.

Caterina could not help but laugh. Abel was so fun to pick on. "I was just kidding, Abel."

Abel mumbled, crossing his arms and slouching in his chair like an angry child.

"Anyway, you already have tickets prepared for you. They're right over there." Caterina swept her hand over to a small desk by the window. On top of it, were two small blue tickets.

"Tickets? We're not taking the Iron Maiden?"

"Don't be silly, Abel. You know very well Albion is not going to allow a Vatican warship into their territory."

Abel chuckled with embarrassment. "Ah, yes…I forgot."

"Abel…" Caterina said lowly, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Don't lose those tickets. I know you're a forgetful person, but these tickets are important. Understand? They offer maximum comfort, so you and Yuri will not be thrown into some chaotic environment."

"Of course not, Miss Caterina. You can trust me. I promise I won't forget about them."

"I surely hope so. It would be embarrassing to me if our senior member made himself look like a fool to our new recruit."

Abel blushed, shifting in his chair. "S-Stop picking on me!"

Caterina smiled, sipping her tea again. "Well then, you are dismissed, Abel. I hope you do a good job."

"Why of course. I always do a good job." Abel grabbed the tickets and waved goodbye as he left the Cardinal's office, leaving her to her solitude.

* * *

Despite the fact he had promised Caterina he would not lose the tickets, Abel had, in fact, lost them. Yuri had scoffed at his forgetfulness, but did not say anything to make him feel worse. Abel was grateful. Yuri seemed to be thinking about other people's feeling more…which was a good indication that the mission might go well.

After pleading and making himself as pitiful looking as possible, it did not take much prodding on his part for the flight attendants to allow him on board. His pleading had eventually won him a place on the main flight deck, much to his delight.

After squeezing through the small walkway, and fighting with their luggage, Yuri and Abel eventually found two seats near the back.

_Well…this is uncomfortable…_Abel thought as he looked around.

The main flight deck was loud, and noisy. Someone's children were running around, causing the poor flight attendants trouble, and some people were arguing over seats they wanted. All in all, the 'easy' mission Miss Caterina had assigned seemed much harder than it really was now…and all because Abel decided to be forgetful that day.

Of course, Yuri did not seem to mind all the chaos. How did he block out of the noise? Abel had no idea, but wished Yuri would tell him his secret. Unlike Abel who was constantly shifting in his chair, Yuri seemed content just sitting by the window, watching the clouds.

"Ah…it's so loud, Yuri," Abel whined, shifting some more.

"That's not my problem, Father."

Father? Oh no, Yuri was reverting to his old title for Abel. Was that…bad? Why did Yuri have to be so hard to understand? "I know…but still…I wish those children would sit down. Don't they bother you? They're so loud…"

"Just ignore them. Whining about it isn't going to make the flight any easier."

Abel sighed, persistent on having a nice conversation. "I wish I could but it's just too hard…"

Yuri glanced away from the window for a few seconds, scanning the room boredly, before returning to what he had been doing before. "If you can't ignore them, then too bad. There's nothing I can do for you."

Abel sighed again. Some nice conversation this was becoming. Why was Yuri so…well…whatever he was? He sure did not act this way around anyone else…

Soon, the two were silent, both listening to the horrible noise in the background. Every time Abel tried to start another conversation with Yuri, he seemed to be cut away.

Sighing, Abel and tried one more time. "Yuri, are you enjoying yourself?"

Yuri slowly turned his head to look at Abel, his emerald gaze piercing him to his seat. Abel squirmed, trying to keep eye contact. Yuri's eyes always made him feel as if the he was peering into his very soul.

"No, not really. I can't even hear myself think in this damn plane."

Abel almost fell over from the bluntness. "Ah…well…" he trailed off. What was he to say? That's too bad? Was he supposed to offer some sort of comfort?

"Father, exactly how long is this flight?"

"Ah…about twenty two hours. Why? I bet the noise really _is_ bothering you?" Abel nudged Yuri gently with his elbow.

Glaring fiercely, Yuri quickly looked away. "I was just curious. Dragons aren't usually annoyed by such racket."

"I was just kidding, Yuri," Abel chuckled, waving his hands about. "I meant no harm."

Yuri apparently, was still insulted because he refused to say anything else.

Abel tutted at his childish behavior as he watched the couple in the seat in front of him arguing. Everyone seemed crazy today. It could not have been the weather. It was simply too gorgeous for that to be it.

"A full moon must be coming out…" He chuckled at the superstitious saying.

"What?" Yuri asked, still not looking at him.

"Oh…nothing," Abel replied.

Yuri shrugged, and the two were silent once again.

Abel sighed. He was going to sleep. All the noise was driving him insane. Forcing himself to close his eyes, he tried to catch up on much deserved rest.

Sadly, Abel was unable to force himself into the dream world. He had tried for about twenty minutes, but it was all in vain. All the screaming and wailing of children was simply too much. Instead he went back to his original tactic of trying to get Yuri to talk more. It was odd that the young man did not seem to want to say anything. When Abel watched Yuri around other people he seemed to thrive off talking, but now…

"Is something bothering you, Yuri?"

Yuri tensed slightly.

"I mean…well, you seem unhappy. Is it because I lost the tickets to our first class seats? If so---."

"It's nothing, Father, really..." he whispered, his voice distant as if he was thinking about something. Abel had to strain himself to hear him.

"Are you sure?"

"I would believe so," the sarcasm that dripped from his mouth made Abel wince. It was a quick change from his soft words a few minutes ago.

"Ah…well, you see…" Abel did not have a chance to finish.

"Go back to your nap, Father..." Yuri said gently. It was odd hearing Yuri talk this way…

Abel stared at him quietly. Yuri reminded him so much of Astha, that it was a little bit frightening. However, unlike the aggressive Astha, Yuri was more, somber, and stubborn. At least Astha was easy to read. Trying to understand what was going on in Yuri's head was like trying to find the thoughts of a rock.

Sighing for what was probably the sixteenth time that day, Abel once again tried to force himself to sleep. Yuri said something to him, but he could not hear him. He was finally drifting off. Before he disappeared into dreamland, he reminded himself never to forget his flight tickets again.

* * *

When Abel woke up, they had finally touched down in Londinium. However, despite his cramping legs, he waited patiently until most of the passengers squeezed through the aisles before helping Yuri with the luggage. Abel had chuckled as he listened to Yuri complaining about "howling monkeys"---which Abel assumed were the children that kept causing trouble on the deck. Well, it was nice to know that Yuri was in a much better mood than hours ago…not that Abel would have noticed. He had been alseep the whole time.

"You sleep like a log," Yuri said as they stepped off their plane.

"I suppose so. You weren't bored were you?"

"You can't be bored around humans. There's so much drama going on you could make a book about it."

Abel laughed. "Was it that interesting?"

"Highly."

"Ah, I see. I can't believe I slept the whole time…"

Yuri looked over at him. "You were talking in your sleep…"

"I…what?" Abel slowed his pace until he was side by side with Yuri.

"Geez, can't you hear? I said you were talking in your sleep."

Abel blushed slightly. "I see. What was I talking about?"

Yuri shrugged. "Something about some guy named Cain."

Abel stopped, staring at Yuri in terror. He had talked about Cain? Did he also talk about what he was? He begged God that he did not say anything about that. What would Yuri think of him if he found out?

Yuri slowly stopped, turning to stare at Abel warily. "Abel…are you all right?"

"What…what did you hear?"

"Whatever you said in your sleep, was none of my concern. I don't care about what you were dreaming about. It's none of my business," he said, his voice taking on a gentle tone which sounded quite odd coming from him.

Abel relaxed slightly. "Did I…say something about a Crusnik?"

Yuri slowly shook his head. "No. Even if you did, it's none of my business. Plus, I don't even know what that is."

Abel sighed in relief, and then put on his famous grin. "All right. Sorry about that, Yuri. Now then where were we…?"

Yuri apparently, was still bothered about what had just transpired. However, he continued the conversation that had been broken off earlier as if nothing ever happened.

"I don't understand how you can sleep for twenty two hours. That's just crazy…"

"I was tired," Abel whined.

"I'll bet," came the sarcastic remark.

Abel chuckled.

"Abel, will there be any books on this trip? Something about Londinium, perhaps?"

"Uh…probably not, Yuri. We only have so much money I'm afraid."

Yuri scoffed, mumbling something Abel could not hear. Whatever it was, he was sure it was not positive.

* * *

The moon was shining brightly in the sky when Yuri and Abel finally came out of the airport. Despite all the street lamps everywhere, the sight was actually quite breathtaking.

Abel smiled, still awed by how much the city looked the same. Despite the hundreds of years that had passed, the city did not change.

"So this is Londinium…" Yuri whispered boredly.

"Yes, quite lovely isn't it?"

"It's decent."

Abel chuckled, shifting through the bag for the map to Father Winslow's church. It was sad he still needed it, especially since he was always delivering things to the old priest. As soon as he took the map out, he nearly sighed in despair. The map looked as if someone had spilled a mug of coffee on it.

Yuri glanced down at the map, frowning. "What the hell happened to it? Is the Vatican too cheap to buy things in top condition?"

Abel winced at his severity. "It looked nice when I first got it…"

"I bet it was those annoying children. They were causing a lot of trouble while you were asleep, Father. I'm surprised them and their parents were not thrown off."

"Oh well…" Abel sighed. Yuri was going back to calling him 'Father' again…

Ignoring him, Yuri looked up at the sky.

"Well then, we have to walk here, take a right on this street, turn right again, walk straight…" Abel nodded each time he said something. "Yes, yes. I think I remember this route."

"Do you _really_, Father? You said that about the tickets too."

Abel rubbed the back of his neck. Why was Yuri so mean? "Uh, well…true. However, I can assure you that I do."

Yuri looked like he was about to say something, but a soft howl caused him and Abel to tense. A wolf? What was a wolf doing in a city?

"Wolves?" Yuri looked over at Abel, his eyes showing his confusion. "Surely those beasts don't live in cities? What food could they possibly hunt here?"

"It can't be wolves. They don't live in the city, nor do they ever come into it. It's unheard of, especially here in Albion. I mean they are---."

"Shy animals. I know. You're telling this to someone who reads books all day."

Abel rubbed the back of his neck again. "Anyway, let's just keep moving. It's getting really late." He looked at the moon one last time, and then walked away with Yuri nervously trailing behind him.

_**

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_**Author note: **_Whew, well that sure was fun to correct. Dx I probably got all kinds of errors in there. I suck when it comes to where to put comma's if you haven't noticed. Oh well. xD Anyway, it seems Yuri and Abel are getting a long a little (teeny tiny bit) better. Their personalities clash. Yuri's more a cynic and Abel's more an optimist. It's amazing the two aren't trying to kill each other. Hurray for Abel's patience! xDDD I think anyone deserves a hug if they can put up with Yuri (though I love him to death).

Anyway, moving on. So, tell me what you think guys? I'm looking forward to some feedback.


	8. Information: Fleur du Mal

_**Information: Part Two "Fleur du Mal"**_

Fleur du Mal is a well known terrorist organization established mainly to fight against humans. Their hatred for the Vatican runs deep, as well as their influence. The organization has a large following of members, but only a select few "important" ones.

Fleur du Mal stays well outside of Lucyna's territory of the Yaegrow Dukedom, as well as the New Human Empire owned by Augusta. The two leaders have already declared that anyone who is associated with these "vile" beings will be killed without a trial…or punished. What are these punishments? That is not known. Fleur du Mal is not stupid, and has avoided the two leaders like the plague.

Though the organization is mostly made of Methuselah, there are other members within it as well. Werewolves are a minority, but they're usually used as spies and assassins of the day since Methuselah cannot walk about when the sun is up. There is a rumor that the organization has a dragon, but that is only a rumor. Currently, Lucyna's spies are looking into it.

For the time being, the organization has sided with the Rosenkreuz Orden. Prehaps for protection, or then again, maybe for a power boost. This unholy union has made Fleur du Mal an allusive enemy and a bane to humanity.


	9. Enter Fleur du Mal

_**Author note: **_Geez, it's like impossible for me to make a short chapter. D: Try as I might, I get carried away.

**Mel:** So that means I've been running around with that name. oo Holy craptastic. I got the name from a show that was on TV a while back. I don't remember what it was called, but I liked how catchy the name sounded. xD Yes, I wonder if you'll be thinking the same thing about Abel and Yuri's personalities after reading this chapter...(hint). I'm happy you think that information stuff is helpful. Btw, dragons are not what you think. I'll have an information page added about them later...maybe.

**Arallion: **Lol. I know I was not much help with telling what Yuri was in the begining. xD Yes, Yuri will adapt nicely, but it will take a while. He's stubborn and prideful so it will take a while for him to change.

**Shadow:** You're welcome! I'm glad you're happy I updated. x3 I love Yuri and Abel too. They're so fun to write about. Hurray for information pages. xD

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_**Chapter Seven: Enter Fleur du Mal**_

"Abel…your directions are horrible. I swear if I pass by this pole one more time…" Yuri did not finish his sentence, but Abel could guess what he was going to say.

"Ah, I was just testing you, Yuri."

"I'm sure."

Abel chortled, looking back at the map. He had been testing Yuri. However, if the dragon chose to disagree with him, then it was his own fault.

They both froze when they heard another howl.

"Father…this isn't normal."

"I…well…just keep walking, Yuri. We'll be there soon. I promise."

Yuri was silent as they continued bustling along.

Abel did not have to be a genius to tell that the howling put Yuri on edge. He understood why though. Wolves did not wander about in Londinium…unless they were a different kind of wolf…

* * *

"Ah! I can't thank yuh enough, Father Nightroad! Yuh be too kind. I'm sure yer exhausted. Are yuh hungry?" Father Winslow said jovially. 

Father Winslow was an old man with a gentle face. He spoke with an odd accent that Abel, try as he might, could not figure out where it came from. At one time, the old man had fiery red hair, but not, it was starting to fade into a lighter red, a sure sign that his hair was soon going to turn white.

Abel waved his hands about, a goofy expression on his face. "You're welcome. I'm glad Father Kostka and I could be so useful to you. Well, to tell the truth, we are quite tired. Oh, and no, we ate before we got here."

"That's good, that's good. It was not anything cheap was it? I know how yuh try to save yer money, Father Nightroad."

Abel blushed. "I-I do not! It's just that we only get so much money."

Father Winslow nodded slowly, a smirk on his face. "Uh huh."

"It's true."

"I believe yuh, I believe yuh," he replied.

Father Winslow looked over at Yuri, his smirk slowly going away. "Father Nightroad, is there something bothering that lad?" he asked softly.

Abel nodded. "Earlier, we heard a howl. After that, Father Kostka has been very skittish."

"It be probably a little doggie. I doubt it be anything to worry about."

"I told him that, but he chooses to ignore me. He's new to being a clergyman, and well…he's quite high-strung and stubborn."

"Ah, I see. No wonder. I doubt it was a wolf. We don't usually get those in the city. It's rare, but I don't think that's what yuh heard. Dogs like to howl too, not just wolves."

"Yes…you do have a point there. Oh! I just remembered something! The Cardinal wanted me to ask you this question."

"Really? Well then, go right ahead, Father Nightroad."

"Uh…Father Winslow, have you had any trouble with Fleur du Mal?"

"That vampire terrorist group? Nope. Three months ago a church got set on fire by one of 'em, but that was it."

Abel bit his tongue. Really? It must have been a minor fire if it had not reached the Vatican. Then again…Caterina may not have seen it as much of a big deal. This was something the Albion government could handle. The Church of Rome was not to be involved unless asked…which would probably never happen anytime soon.

"Father Nightroad, are we going to be staying here?" Yuri asked, breaking the whispered conversation between the older men.

"Yes. I think it would be best. Plus, it saves us expenses for the trip back." Abel heard Father Winslow chuckle behind him, and blushed furiously. He was not being cheap. He was just being cautious with the money. Something could always happen after all.

"Ah, I see…well then…" Yuri glanced nervously at Father Winslow, as if waiting for something.

Father Winslow caught the hint. "I'll show the both of yuh to yer rooms. Oh, Father Nightroad, do yuh wish to have a room with yer partner? I think it would be best to keep yuh two together."

Abel could hear the warning tone in the old man's voice. He was still worried about Yuri though he did not show it.

"What do you think, Yuri? If you want your own room I'm sure Father Winslow could get you a room by yourself."

"I honestly don't care. I just want to go to sleep. If I have to share a room with you, then so be it."

"Do you have to make it sound so…horrible?" Abel asked.

Winslow laughed, patting Yuri on the back. "Yer a good lad. It seems yuh'll be keeping this sloth of a priest in check."

"W-What? Father Winslow!"

Winslow laughed, leading the two to where they would stay.

The rooms were not very large. There were two twin beds in them with simple white sheets, but nothing more. The two priests did not mind though. All they seemed to care about was having somewhere to rest.

"If yuh two need anything, just ask. There other priests will gladly help yuh, even if yuh got to drag 'em out o' bed."

Yuri and Abel wished Father Winslow goodnight before crawling into their separate beds. No sooner had Yuri closed his eyes Abel spoke to him.

"Yuri."

A soft sigh of annoyance was all he heard.

"I wanted to apologize."

"For what, Father?"

"All the nonsense I put you through. There was a reason for it."

"I'm sure," was the neutral answer.

"Is that…good?"

"Prehaps."

Abel chuckled. "You're so difficult to understand. Did you know that, Yuri?"

"I suppose."

"Yuri…uh…" Abel quieted down, mainly to annoy the young man, and see how he answered. Yuri was quiet though and waited…well, that or he was asleep.

"Are you awake?"

"I would believe so."

Abel blushed with embarrassment. "Ah, yes, of course. Uh…did you have fun?"

There was silence.

"Erm…Yuri did you hear---?"

"I heard you."

"Oh…uh…are you going to answer the question?"

Yuri sighed. "I guess traveling in a cramped plane compartment with noisy humans, and then wandering around for an hour in search of a small church was fun."

Abel winced. Ouch. "Sorry…"

"Stop apologizing. It's annoying." Yuri sounded so forceful that Abel was not sure whether he was angry or just annoyed.

"I'm sorry…"

"And then you do it anyway…" Yuri said tiredly. Abel almost wanted to apologize again, but it only bothered Yuri so…well…

"Your patience seems limitless."

Abel blinked, rolling over so he faced Yuri. The dragon was not looking at him, so all he saw was his back. "Are you complimenting me, Yuri?"

"No."

"Are you sure? I swear that sounded like a compliment."

"What does it matter?" Yuri growled, turning so he could fully glare at him.

"It's just…I've never gotten a compliment from you. You seem…well…"

"I seem what, Abel?"

Abel hesitated. Yuri was using his name again. That was always a good sign from what he could tell. "You…you just seem so cold…"

Yuri was silent, his gaze softening a bit.

"I…you see…"

"I don't want to hear it. Just go to bed and leave me alone."

Abel's brows furrowed, a hurt expression crossing his face. He had not meant to be offensive… "Yuri…I did not mean to hurt your feelings."

"What feelings?" came the cold remark.

Abel sighed. So much for a peaceful conversation. He should had known it would end in disaster. It always did when he spoke to Yuri.

He watched as Yuri crawled out of his bed

"Uh…Yuri…"

"Wait a second. I need to go to the bathroom." Yuri grabbed his priest robe, putting it back on neatly, and left the room without another word.

Abel groaned. Yuri was so difficult. Was he like this with Tres? _Here comes one doozy of a file report for you, Miss Caterina. I hope you find it entertaining._

* * *

Yuri walked down the long semi-dark hallway, watching as some of the candles on the wall began slowly fading away. He had told Abel he needed to go to the bathroom…but that was just as lie. All he wanted to do was get out the room. All those stupid questions annoyed him. Something about that man made him feel weird. Whatever it was, it was bothersome. He did not know whether to hate Abel or to befriend him. His kindness was starting to rub off on him…something that was purely unacceptable. 

_He was going to say sorry to me? How funny. He was the good one. I was the one at fault. Kindhearted fool…_

Yuri turned around the corner walking past two priests who were heading to their rooms. They looked at Yuri curiously.

"Are you lost, sir?" a man with short brown hair asked, his honey eyes clouded with confusion. His voice was so soft and soothing to listen to, that Yuri almost completely dropped his guard.

"Uh…no. I just need some fresh air. I feel claustrophobic in here."

"Oh. Do you want us to lead you outside?"

Yuri thought long and hard about this decision. Should he have them take him outside? That seemed smart. He would probably get himself lost without any help…just like he had gotten himself lost in Rome on his third day searching for that stupid library.

"Would you?"

"Why of course. We're always willing to help one in need," said the other priest with dark black hair and a large smile.

Yuri's eyes narrowed slightly. There was something about that priest that set alarms off in his head.

"Ah, thank you very much. You're both much too kind."

The two priests bowed and led Yuri outside. It did not take too long to reach the church's entrance. Yuri had expected it to take a while.

As soon as he stepped outside, he breathed in the fresh night hair. It was such a beautiful night…

"Yuri…it's been a while," said a man with a deep baritone voice.

Yuri tensed, but did not turn around. Who else was out here? That sure did not sound like the priests who had led him out here. It sounded like someone he used to know…

"What have you been up to? Oh wait…you're a priest now aren't you? Well isn't that a complete change from who you used to be," the man continued.

Just then, it hit him. He knew who this man was! "Hello Cezar. It's nice to hear from you. Who is that other person with you?"

"My name is Bernhardt. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My, you're much better looking that what I heard," replied the soft voice.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mister Bernhardt. You're from Germanicus I presume?"

Bernhardt laughed. "Yes. Very good. You are quite perceptive."

Yuri nodded, turning the conversation back towards Cezar. "I did not recognize you, Cezar. Did you dye your hair?"

"That's right. I hid my accent well too. You couldn't even tell it was me."

"Yes. It seems you followed my advice about covering up that thick Polish accent of yours. Good job. Now then…what do you two want?"

"Nothing really. We were here looking for someone…and what do we find? Our dear, beloved comrade."

_Shit,_ Yuri thought. _What the hell am I supposed to do?_

"Oh? Well, that's nice I suppose," he said nonchalantly.

"You know, Yuri," hands fell on his shoulders. "We can let you go. No one will have to know we saw you," Cezar purred in his ear.

Yuri knew where this conversation was going. There was something these two wanted in return.

"Really? How kind of you."

"Yes…very kind of us indeed. However, you'll have to do us a favor."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

Bernhardt stood in front of Yuri, smirking so his fangs gleamed in the moonlight. "You have to leave us be, Yuri. Ignore us."

"And what are you two up to? Is it something horrible?"

"So what if it is, Yuri? Would you stop us?" Cezar asked, clearly amused.

"Nonsense. I find the thought of you two slaughtering humans invigorating."

The two Methuselah chuckled.

"Well, it's good to know you still have that killing spirit in you. I thought being with the Vatican as one of their jeweled collared hounds had made you soft," Cezar said smoothly. He was trying to anger Yuri.

"No. I'm still me, dear _comrade_."

"That's good." Cezar's hand's left his shoulders as he moved to stand next to Bernhardt. "We'll be leaving now. Take care of yourself, friend. It would be a shame if something were to happen to you."

"Yes, it would be a shame I suppose." Yuri watched the two walked away. He had a feeling he would regret letting them go without a fight. However, that was a thought for another day.

He stood outside, watching the moon for a few more minutes, and then walked back inside the church, trying to find his way back to his room.

* * *

"You were gone forever," Abel mumbled tiredly. Had the man been up all this time waiting for him? Humans were so foolish… 

"Sorry. I got lost. I did not wish to bother any of the priests here, so I did not ask for help."

"Ah…that pride of yours…" Abel whispered. It was obvious the priest had no intention of Yuri hearing him, but it was all in vain.

What was that supposed to mean? "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, Yuri."

Yuri scowled, and crawled back into his bed. Abel was too nosey. What was with these Vatican people and not minding their own business?

"Did you know the bathroom was just right down the hall to the right, Yuri?"

Yuri tensed in the bed. Really? Damn this put a wrench in everything. "Ah…really? That's why I was wandering around trying hard to find it. Ha, silly me…"

Abel was silent for a while. Yuri hoped he would simply drop this conversation and forget about it. "What happened?"

"What do you mean 'what happened,' Father?"

"You lied to me. Why?"

Yuri closed his eyes. What was he supposed to say? That he had met two member of Fleur du Mal in the church and had let them go?

"Because I can, Father. That's why. Due to the grace of _God_ I can. "

"B-But…"

"I honestly don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this. I wanted fresh air, so I went outside. I did not want to tell you because I did not deem it important."

"Why are you so confrontational?"

"I'm not being confrontational."

"Liar. All I asked was a simple question, but you're making it out to be more than it is. All you have to do is say yes or no."

Yuri growled. What was Abel's problem? All he wanted was to be left alone, but the priest refused to do it. "Why can't you just leave me alone, Father?"

"Because I'm worried about your well being, Yuri…" Abel whispered gently. Thankfully, Yuri had a good sense of hearing or he would not have heard it.

"If that's the case, would it not be better to break this conversation off? Lest you make me uncomfortable? I'm pretty sure barking questions at someone while they're trying to go to sleep isn't good manners. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep." _Just leave me alone, Abel…_

Yuri heard the ruffling of bed sheets. He was about to turn before he was flopped on his back, staring up wide eyed at an angry Abel. His face was so close to his, that he could feel his breath on his lips.

"I have tried my best to be nice to you, Yuri, but you are making this hard." Abel's usually calm and gentle eyes, were now cold. "All I've seen in you is negativity. Your pride is as high as the sky, and your stubbornness is like nothing I've ever seen before. Not even Astha is like you, and she is just as difficult to deal with. I'm sure a mule would be easier to control than you."

Abel never rose his voice, but Yuri could not help but wince at his tone. He wondered who this 'Astha' person was, but was too nervous to say anything.

"I don't know why you hide things from me. We're partners. We're supposed to rely on each other. You need to stop acting like a spoiled child because you won't have anyone trying to hold your hand while you're here; and we most certainly will not put up with your antics."

Yuri shook slightly. He had never seen Abel angry before. The man was always acting so silly that he had almost forgotten that the priest was capable of anger. _The nice ones are always the most terrifying…_he thought.

"I…you're such a fool. You think admonishing me like I'm five years old is going to change who I am? Do you think this conversation is going to change _anything_, Abel? You're more stupid than I thought." Yuri wanted to turn his head away so his face was not so close to Abel's. However, Abel's azure eyes held him down as if he was pinned in place.

Abel's eyes grew colder, if that was even possible. "You're the fool, Yuri," he whispered harshly.

"And why is that, Father? Because I won't trust you? Because I _despise_ you?" Yuri's words struck home.

Abel's looked absolutely devastated. The coldness in his eyes disappeared, leaving only despair. "You…hate me?"

Yuri looked away. He…did not mean to say that. He did not hate Abel. He just…there was something about him that made him feel weird. Even now his heart was aching from saying everything that had come into his mind. He wanted to say sorry; to take back what he had said, but his pride kept him quiet.

"I…" Abel's voice caught in his throat. Seconds passed, but they felt like hours. Finally, Abel spoke, but it was just two words. However, those two words made Yuri feel absolutely terrible. "Forgive me…"

Abel sighed, and Yuri felt his weight shift off the bed. Soon, the sound of sheets ruffling told him that Abel had returned to his bed.

Yuri stayed awake for a while, staring at the ceiling. He could still see Abel's hurt expression even as he slowly fell asleep. _I'm sorry…_he thought.

* * *

"Yuri is such a fool," Bernhardt said, licking his lips of the blood that had slipped out his mouth. 

Cezar smirked, staring at the body of the woman they had just killed. Yuri would have been smarter to have fought them right then and there rather than waiting. Of course Cezar was going to keep his promise of not telling the higher ups. He despised Yuri, but they had been partners at one time.

"It's sad, seeing the once proud dragons being used as common pets," he said, stretching.

Bernhardt wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He still wore the priest robe, saying it was comfortable. Cezar did not see what was so comfortable about it. It was too baggy, making him feel like an icicle.

A sharp howl made the two young vampires tense up. That was the fifth time they had heard it, but now it sounded closer.

"We need to leave, Bern."

"R-Right. You don't have to tell me twice."

The two stood up, moving further into the darkness of the alley. They did not get far before fierce growling made them freeze up.

"My, my, my…what have we here? Two little Methuselah too far from home, eh?" A voice thick with a Hispanic accent wafted down the alley.

Cezar narrowed his eyes. That impudent voice sounded familiar. "Deon, is that you?"

A tall man with hazel eyes and dark brown hair stepped out of the dark, smirking good-naturedly at the two. "Como estas mi amigos?"

The Methuselah sighed in relief.

"You gave us quite a scare, Deon," Cezar said, laughing. He did not know what the hell Deon had just said, but he was sure it was nothing negative.

Deon laughed as well. "So I did."

"So, what is it you want? Did you want to eat with us? When we're done draining the cutey over there, you can eat her."

Deon growled at this. "You got a lot of nerve you over evolved ape. I was thinking about tearing off a limb or two from you, but now I gotta kill you altogether."

The two vampire's smirks disappeared off their faces.

"W-What?" Bernhardt stammered. That was the last word he said before a giant black wolf leapt upon him, tearing his vocal cords.

Cezar turned, getting ready to go into hasten mode. He never had a chance. Deon had leapt upon him in a split second, crashing the vampire against the pavement.

"D-Deon what have w-we done wrong?! We've done everything the organization wanted! Everything!" Cezar tried to struggle, but he could not feel the bottom half of his body.

"Did you? Well, that's nice to know," came the deep, gurgled reply. "However, I could care less. I've got my orders. It would not have mattered anyway, considering everyone wants you dead. And I mean _everyone._"

"Orders from who? T-The Orden? Did they tell you to do this, Deon?"

"No. Someone who's a bit more sane."

"L-Lucyna? The Empress? Who?!"

"Sorry times up, Cezar. Time to say goodbye now."

Cezar tried to scream, but it was too late. Deon had already torn him apart.

When the large wolf was done with his massacre, it changed back into the tall, handsome young man it was before, blood covering his mouth.

"Dammit, Yuri. You're going to get me discovered if this keeps up…" he said, wiping his face with his sleeve and then putting his hands in his pockets. Deon looked over at the dead woman, a feeling of sadness in his heart. He felt bad for her. If only he had come sooner he might have been able to save her. Now, it was too late.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Boss. I'll get discovered if this continues." Deon looked at the receding moon one last time. He had killed the two vampires in a part of the alleyway where sunlight would not filter. That would allow the Vatican or whoever to get involved, just like his boss had ordered. It was fate that Yuri just so happened to be caught in the mess. Thankfully, the two troublemakers had been dealt with…

"You better be a bit more careful, Yuri…" Deon whispered as he walked away, leaving the bodies alone in the dark.

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_**Author note (again): **_My friend almost ripped me apart when she read this chapter. She was all like, "How could Yuri say those things to poor, Abel?!" Alas, Yuri is being a difficult person right now. There's a reason for the way he's acting that way. Can you guess what is it? (hint, hint, wink).

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I probably won't be updating for another two weeks since Graduation day is coming up and all my family is going to be here.


	10. An Unwanted Discovery

_**Author Note: **_Whew, not much is going to be happening in this chapter. Well, maybe not much to me. xD I'm glad you all loved the last chapter. I was wondering how it would be taken.

**Shadow: **Hehe, you're welcome. 3 Well, a lot is going on in Yuri's mind. You have to remember, he was a criminal at one time. He's been with an insane organization and had to be hard in order to survive. Then to top it off, he has that "dragon" mentality of withholding your emotions from the general public. All in all, it's starting to take it's toll on him. He wants to show he cares, but he can't. It's frustrating him more than anything if you haven't noticed. xD

**Kasumita:** LoL. I'm glad you like the information. It's fun to write it. I guess it's a way of forcing me to not get bored with what I'm writing. Between doing this fanfic and writing my novel, I've been crazy busy.  
Yes, Yuri is basically good and evil. He's good because we all know he's not a horrible person from his thoughts, but he's evil by the way he acts and the things he says. All in all, Yuri is the most interesting OC I've ever done (ignoring the swarm of Mary-Sues I used to do when I was younger). Writing about him has proven to be a challenge as well as fun.  
At first, I was going to have Abel take all the verbal abuse from Yuri without saying anything, but then I was like, "it doesn't matter how nice someone is, they're going to snap eventually." Which Abel did in fact do. I wanted it to be a realistic as possible.  
Whew, now I'm done with all my long replies. Onwards to the story!

**Mel: **LoL. Abel losing his temper took a lot of people by surprise. xD What are dragons exactly? Well, they don't breath fire that's for sure. I might do a poll on who wants me to add an info page on dragons in the next chapter since everyone is so interested in what they are. Oh and I'm glad you're happy that I reply back. I think it's good for me to interact with the people reviewing. It makes me see them as more than just well...people reviewing.

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_**Chapter Eight: An Unwanted Discovery**_

"You did what?!" Caterina barked.

Abel winced. He knew this was coming. "I lost my temper…" he repeated.

"Unbelievable," Caterina sighed, putting her index finger to her forehead in aggravation. She could believe Abel, of all people, would lose his temper with anyone. It was unheard of.

"Sorry, Miss Caterina…"

"I don't want to hear your apologies, Abel. I want to know what brought this about. What did he do to make you lose your temper?"

Abel was silent. He made no effort to even speak.

"Abel," Caterina warned. However, the man completely ignored her. "You never tell me anything…"

"I'm sorry, Miss Caterina..."

His words sounded so hollow to Caterina. Almost as if he was programmed to say those four words.

Sighing, Caterina walked over to her window, peering down at the garden below. "Well, at least Yuri does not seem to be too affected by your lapse in demeanor. That is a good thing…"

Abel nodded numbly.

"Abel, while you were in Albion…did you hear about the murder that took place?"

"A…murder? No. There was no word of it. Yuri and I left two days later, but no one said anything to us about it." Abel frowned, as if remembering something. "At the airport security was higher, but I just thought it was because someone special was going to be flying on one of the planes."

Caterina turned, peering at Abel seriously from behind her monocle. "No, Abel. Apparently a young girl was drained dry by two male vampires who were members of Fleur du Mal…or at least, what was left of them."

Abel paled. "What do you mean 'what was left of them?'"

"The two were torn to shreds. It was nearly impossible to tell what they looked like. Don't you find it odd...that there was a triple murder in the same location?"

"Y-You…you don't think Yuri did it do you?"

"Heavens no, Abel. The bites inflicted on the vampires were werewolf. There was no way Yuri could have been involved."

"So…do you think that the vampires had killed the girl, but had wandered into the direction of someone who had changed during the full moon?"

"Yes, that's what I'm thinking. However, that seems too simple. We did tests on the vampire's dead bodies, so we know who they are. Apparently they were known for doing dirty work for their organization. Things like killing traitors, ect. Your hit men, I suppose you could say."

Abel frowned. "So…you think that perhaps they were killed by someone who was unhappy with what they were doing?"

"That could be it."

"Miss Caterina…don't you think the bodies would have burned up in the sun? Or…were they killed somewhere dark?"

"Of course they were killed somewhere dark, Abel. Apparently whoever killed the two _wanted_ them to be found. Odd don't you think?"

"That is odd. What do you think is going on?"

Caterina turned back towards the window, but did not answer Abel's question. How was she supposed to answer? She did not have all the answers. However…maybe a certain someone could figure out why this murder had happened? Caterina herself could do it, but it would take time. Yuri knew the organization's ways better than she did. All she knew was from pieces of information gathered by her agents. "Abel, I want you to give some files to Yuri concerning this case. Prehaps he can figure it out."

"B-But…Miss Caterina, would it not be better to bring him here, so you both can go over this?"

"No, not yet. I don't want to shock him. When he's done with the files, then we will talk. All of us."

"Ah. So the whole Agency is to be involved?"

"This is a serious matter, Abel. Something is going on. Something big. I don't like being kept in the dark."

Abel sighed. "Understood." He looked towards her desk, looking at a small manila folder. "Is that it, Miss Caterina?"

Caterina turned. "Yes. That's it."

"Ah…I see." Tentively, Abel picked up the files and looked through them. "Does Francesco know about this?"

Caterina grimaced. "No, but he'll find out eventually."

"So now we'll have to race against the Inquisitorial Department, eh?"

"It would seem so. If God is kind to us, prehaps my brother will never find out."

Abel sighed again, making Caterina's heartbreak each time she heard him. She was placing so much responsibility on the poor priest. Prehaps she should give him a much deserved break.

"Abel, once you have given that folder to Yuri, take some time off. You look like you need it."

"Really? B-But Miss Caterina…"

"I _insist_. Tres will keep an eye on Yuri so you don't have to." Her words were not open to debate.

"All right…" Abel replied, downtrodden.

_It'll do you some good. I promise, Abel._

* * *

William was insane. That was the only thing Yuri could think of as he watched the man try to explain some new invention of his. Apparently, it was supposed to be a new type of communication device…but Yuri could not see it.

The new 'invention' was a small blue sphere the size of a marble. At first, that's what Yuri thought it was. However, after being corrected six times, he decided to just leave William be and pretend to be interested.

"Isn't my idea, genius, Father Havel?!"

Vaclav Havel, a member of the Agency Yuri had met as soon as he returned from his trip two days ago, nodded slowly. "Ah, yes. Very nice, William. Uh…I can't help but wonder why you came to get me for this…"

"Because it's genius, that's why. If only Sister Kate could be here, this would be even better…"

Havel looked over at Yuri, shrugging. Apparently the professor was always this way. This was not too much of a shock to Yuri though. He had a feeling the man was eccentric.

"You see, Yuri, you just think of who you want to talk to, and poof! You can communicate with them mentally."

"Sort of like telepathy in other words?"

William beamed. "Yes! Exactly like that."

"But has it worked so far?"

"Uh…well, no. So far, all it has done is disrupt the Iron Maiden's signals…HOWEVER!" William pointed towards the ceiling, "I can assure you that I am, in fact, on my way to a new brilliant experiment! I bet even your people would be amazed."

"Is that why you called me here? To ask for my input?"

"That's right. You see, you're the only dragon I know…the only one I have ever met really. So, that makes you an excellent source of information."

Yuri glanced over his shoulder at the still silhouette that was Tres. He had hoped that the android would save him from the crazed professor. However, Tres just stood there. _Some help you are._

Sighing, Yuri turned his attention back to the professor. "I…erm…this would be an interesting invention I suppose. If, and only if, it was _humanly_ possible to do."

William gasped in horror. "Are you saying it's impossible?"

"N-No. I was just saying---."

"I knew this was a horrible idea, I just knew it! This is just as terrible as my last invention. All that seemed to do was hurt people's ears."

"Uh…professor, honestly, with a little more work---."

"Don't try and make me feel better, Yuri. It's far too late. My dream has been shattered by your harsh words."

Yuri looked at Tres. "I was harsh?"

"I did not find any severity in your words," Tres replied monotonously.

"Don't side with him, Tres," William hissed.

Tres frowned. "I do not understand how I could side with anyone."

"Oh, forget it! Leave me alone to cry a thousand tears!" William slung himself across his desk, his face hidden by his arms.

Havel sighed. "How melodramatic. Yuri, run along now. I'll deal with Father Wordsworth."

Yuri stared at the professor, a weak smile on his face. These people were truly insane. It was no wonder they were an off branch of the Holy Army under Francesco. "If that is what you want. Come on, Tres. I feel like taking a trip to the library today."

"Affirmative."

Yuri walked out the room, Tres closing the door behind him.

The two priests were about to disappear down the hallway, but stopped when they saw Abel walking along with a manila folder under his arms. Yuri instantly knew that folder was bad news.

"Ah…hello, Tres…Yuri." Abel waved, looking at him nervously as if he was about to attack.

"Hello, Father…" Yuri said neutrally. He was still wary of Abel after their little 'episode' a few days ago. It had shocked him, and honestly, shook him up a bit. He had not expected Abel to voice such thoughts about him. And to tell the truth…his words had severely wounded him.

"I thought I was going to have to run around the whole city trying to find you today, but apparently not. I guess God is looking out for me today." Abel smiled, but Yuri could tell it was forced. Even Tres could tell something was off.

"Status report, Father Nightroad."

"Ah, I'm quite fine, Tres. Thank you for asking. Anyway, Yuri, I have some files for you from the Cardinal." Abel gently handed the folder to Yuri, making sure his hands did not accidently touch his.

"Oh…so I have to work today…"

Abel nodded slowly. "Yes…sorry…"

"Stop apol---," Yuri bit his lip. _Keep your temper under control, Yuri. _"It's no problem, Abel. I was getting bored not having anything to do anyway." He was not bored really. However, that seemed to be the best answer for this situation. Saying otherwise might result in him upsetting the priest even more.

"I see. Well then!" Abel clasped his hands together. "You may want to read those files in the privacy of your room. They're top secret."

In private? That…did not sound good. So his assumption about the files had been correct. "Is it that bad?"

"Uh…no…well, it depends on what you define as _bad_. I mean, you could say it was bad, but then again, maybe it's not. Maybe---h-hey, where are you going?"

"Back to my room. You said this file was classified. Therefore, I am going to read it in private." Duh. What did Abel expect him to say?

"I…well…can I come too?" Abel watched him expectantly. T he pleading look on his face made Yuri's heart twist. Was he feeling regret? He…honestly was not sure…and that scared him more than anything.

Yuri hesitated. He did not want to be alone with Abel. After what happened at Father Winslow's Church, he did not want to be anywhere near the priest. "No thank you, Abel. I need to be alone."

Abel looked hurt for a second before quickly covering it up with his useful goofy expression. "Yes, I understand. Well then, when you're done…uh…if you want, we could head off to that library you're so keen to."

"Maybe. Good bye, Father." He did not look back, though he could still feel a heavy weight on his heart.

* * *

An hour later, Yuri closed the manila file, not wanting to see, or read anymore. What had happened to Cezar and Bernhardt? It was obvious a werewolf was the culprit. Only a beast as large and fast as that could kill two full grown vampires in such a violent manner. If it had been a dragon, charred remains would have been all that was left, and if it was another Methuselah…well, that was just impossible.

Yuri refused to read the part about the two foolish vampire's innocent victim. If he did, he would only end up hating himself for ever letting them get away. Because of his stupidity, a human girl had been killed.

"I'm such a coward," he said sadly, inwardly glad that Tres had decided to stay outside his room while he searched through the files. Yuri's pride would be forever shattered if anyone were to see him like this.

If Yuri had just stayed and fought Cezar and Bernhardt, that young girl would still be alive…

He laid his head on his small desk by the window, closing his eyes as he felt the wind stroke his cheek. Why did Abel give him these accursed files? What the hell was he supposed to do with it? Learn? Well, he sure was not having fun learning from this.

Reluctantly, he began pondering the files. Wait a minute…the murder added up now! Obviously, Cezar and Bernhardt had been discovered as failures of their mission to do…well whatever it was they were planning on doing, as well as allowing a traitor to run free. The penalty for such an action was death unless the two were able to procure some way of redeeming themselves. Apparently, that ended in disaster.

"UGH! But that can't be it!" he yelled, slamming his hands on the table. That was too simple! Besides, if that was the case then the bodies would have been done away with. There was no way the organization would leave them behind to be discovered by the Vatican or the Church of Albion...that was unless they were going to let their bodies desintigrate in the sun. However, the two had been killed in a dark alley…a sign that whoever killed them, wanted them to be found.

_What the hell is going on?_

Yuri heard his door open. He knew it was Tres. His outburst probably made the android believe that something was bothering him…which something was, but it was none of his concern right now.

"Status report, Father Kostka."

"I'm fine. Ignore me, Tres. I was just thinking."

There was silence before the door closed. Yuri waited a few minutes, and then dived back into his thoughts. _Did the Orden have something to do with this?_ That would make sense…would it not? After all, it was no secret that Fleur du Mal had joined it. However, what did not make sense was WHY a member of the Orden would kill the two vampires. Prehaps they had known something that was important? Something that could be used as a weapon against them? Or maybe they were being troublesome to the group? No…that was not it. Cezar was never important, though he believed he was.

Yuri grabbed his cup of cold tea, sipping it. No, that made no sense either. The Orden needs Fleur du Mal as scapegoats. They kept the Vatican running around in circles while they go on doing what they do best; causing trouble. So what caused the murder?

"An outside force then?" Yuri mumbled to himself. Would Lucyna...?

He sighed. She would. Why had he not thought of this before? Lucyna had someone looking out for him. It had to be a werewolf. But where had she gotten a werewolf for employment? Sure there were mecenaries running about….but still, it was a rarity to find a werewolf. Maybe she got one for the Spy Network. That made sense…a lot of sense really.

"I've been thinking way too much today." Yuri rubbed his temples. The werewolf was probably hired to kill him if he did anything…odd. That would make sense. Lucyna may have been trusting, but she was not stupid. That was one thing she and Caterina had in common.

"Crafty, crafty, Elder…" Yuri chuckled, feeling pleased with his leader rather than angry. She had outsmarted him.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Author note: **_I love you guys so much that I added a chapter sooner than I was supposed to. xD (Managed to sneak away from her cousins long enough to add it). I'll try to add the next chapter by Wednesday, but I won't make promises. Sneaking away from my family is proving difficult. Dx

Well, be sure to tell me what you think! Btw, I just graduated from High School! –cheers- Hurray!


	11. Losing Yuri

_**Author note: **_The suspense is building up. I won't be cruel and make you all wait too long, so here you are. I hope you enjoy it, because I personally found this chapter fun to write...maybe because Leon is in it alot...that might be why. xD

**Kasumita: **LoL. You'll see, you'll see. Yes, Yuri can't even handle his own chaotic emotions the poor guy. I blame that mostly on dragon society and how strict they are about covering up your emotions. My friend says Yuri acts like some stubborn little boy. She's absolutely right. He is like a bratty kid isn't he? xD

**Mel: **As I told Kasumita, you'll see. She had a good reason for watching him. Yes, Abel is trying very hard. A bit too hard. All he has to do is go with the flow and eventually Yuri will relax around him…then again, it may take longer than that (unhelpful hint). Hmm…I think I might just add information on dragons. It won't be a lot, but it will be enough I suppose.

**Shadow: **Muhaha! Now it's off to college for me! –dances- its reviews like yours that make me feel great. :3 Thank you, Shadow.

**RadiantBeam: **There is a werewolf in the novel. He's Isaak's chauffer named Guderian. I don't know if there's more, but I decided to have werewolves be like a minority since we don't really see any. I think in the anime there was a werewolf (that black dog that attacked Hugue). I'm not sure though. You might see Lucyna. But that's just a maybe (hint, hint).

* * *

_**Chapter Nine: Losing Yuri**_

Tres wondered why Esther and Leon kept coming by Yuri's room every twenty minutes. The two never said why, and that question was bothering him. Out of all the people who usually came to see Yuri, Tres expected to see Abel.

"Is he still in there?" Leon growled.

Tres nodded. "Positive. He has been in his room for---."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm quite aware. Does that kid not have a life outside of working? Sheesh."

Tres was not sure whether he should answer, so he opted to just keep his mouth shut and carefully watch to see if Leon had anything else to say.

"Tres, can I just talk to him for ten minutes? I swear that's all I need."

"Negative. The Cardinal has given him a special assignment. He is not allowed to be bothered."

Leon frowned. "Who said I was going to bother him? I just want to take him away from his work for a bit."

Tres was about to answer when Esther came around the corner, frowning as she walked up to him.

"He's still working?"

"Positive. Yuri is working on an assignment for the Cardinal."

"But…can't we---?"

"Don't ask, Esther," Leon replied, cutting her off. "He'll just say no."

"But he'll get sick if he keeps working like this!" Esther stomped her foot, glaring daggers at Tres.

If Tres was human, he would have sighed. But he was not human.

"He has been taking breaks. I have checked."

"That's not what I meant! I mean he should stop reading so much and get some fresh air!"

Tres looked back and forth between the two angry clergymen (woman) and frowned. This was going to be difficult.

* * *

Yuri slowly opened his eyes and stretched. When had he gone to sleep? He surely did not remember ever passing out on his desk. _I work too hard…_he thought tiredly. Despite all the rest he got, he was still tired. 

Rubbing his eyes, he looked back down at the files. What was he supposed to tell Caterina again? Oh, yes. He remembered. The thing was, how to explain it without sounding like an idiot.

Yuri's eye twitched. What the hell was all that damned noise outside his door? He had tried blocking it out while he was in his "thinking mode." However, it proved to be impossible.

Groaning in annoyance, he stood up, rubbing his temples as he walked over to the door to silence whoever was making all that racket. As soon as he opened the door though, all noise seemed to cease as the people in question stared at him.

"Uh…erm…can I help you two?" he asked, glancing between Esther and Leon.

"Yuri! It's about damn time! I thought me and Esther were going to have to sneak into your room in stealth suits or something," Leon said.

Yuri blinked. Ok…what was all this about? "Uh…right. Anyway, can I help you two?"

"W-We, well…we want you to take a break, Yuri. You've been working far too hard. It's not healthy…

Yuri frowned. "I'm fine. I've had adequate rest. Tres made sure of that."

"That's not the point, kid. The point is you need to take a break. It's not healthy staying locked up in a room all day reading," Leon casually replied.

"I---what? I was outside earlier."

"Yes, but where did you go?" Leon asked with a wide smile.

Yuri sighed. "The library…"

"Therefore!" Esther held up her index finger, looking a lot like William whenever he had something to say, "you were still inside."

"All right, all right. You two have a point." Yuri turned to look at Tres, his eyes softening slightly. "Tres, do you think it would be all right for me to wander off with these two for a while? I promise to speak to Caterina as soon as I return."

Tres seemed to think about it before he finally answered. "Positive. I will tell the Cardinal of this. However, if she needs you before then, you are to report back here along with Sister Blanchett and Father Garcia."

Leon sighed, shaking his head. "Leon, Tres, Leon."

Yuri and Tres completely ignored him. "Thank you, Tres."

The android nodded.

"So, where are we going to?" Yuri asked, turning to look at Leon.

Leon shrugged. "I don't know. Esther, do you have any ideas?"

"Uh…w-well, I thought going to the café near here would be a good idea. It's a peaceful environment, and has wonderful coffee. It'll help you relax, Yuri."

"Coffee?" Leon replied with a grimace. "We're getting coffee?"

Esther glared at him. "Yes, we're getting coffee. I refuse to let you corrupt poor, Yuri with that garbage you call alcohol. Besides, you're not even supposed to be drinking! You're a priest!"

"Corrupt him? Aww, you're just being mean, Esther. Drinking isn't that bad. Plus, we drink that holy wine stuff…"

"There's a difference." Esther crossed her arms.

Yuri simply stared at the two. What the hell were they talking about? And what was a calf fay? Was it a cow fairy? Humans and their weird words…

"Affirmative. Your information has been saved. I will now leave to speak to the Cardinal." Tres bowed, leaving Yuri to fend for himself.

As Yuri watched him go, he felt as if his only chance of escape disappeared along with the android.

* * *

Abel sulked at Café Doria, thinking. He had been there for more than an hour, but did not really solve his problem. The whole time he was there, he kept thinking about Yuri despite the fact he was ordered off on break. Yuri seemed to absolutely loathe him now. That…or well, he was just being himself. 

_You've failed your mission, Abel._

Yes, he had failed his mission. Watching Yuri and keeping him comfortable at the same time should not have been difficult. However, he was wrong. Keeping track of Yuri turned out to be draining.

What had happened during the mission two days ago should have never happened. Abel had lost his temper, a rarity, and now the dragon did not wish to speak to him at all. The weird thing was, Yuri seemed to bond quicker with everyone else than him. Was there something he was doing wrong? If so, then what?

"You look so down."

Abel glanced up. Standing before him was a beautiful girl with long reddish brown hair and cerulean eyes. She was breathtaking, but the thing that made her stand out the most was her gentle smile.

"Ah, no…I was just thinking." Abel flashed a smile.

"It must be pretty serious for you to look so sad. Here, have some coffee; it'll make you feel better. I know from experience after all." The woman handed Abel a steaming mug of coffee. The mug was small and light pink with small roses around it. Just looking at the mug seemed to relax him.

"Well…yes, it is quite serious really."

"Oh? Well, I have no where to go right now. Do you wish to talk about it?"

Abel hesitated. This woman was a stranger. She would not cause him any trouble. Besides, Leon had always told him to let his feelings out so he would feel better. Perhaps this woman might be able to help him…

"I snapped at my friend. I didn't mean to. He's just so difficult to deal with that I lost my temper. Now, it seems as if he completely hates me…"

The woman nodded slowly, absorbing what he was telling her.

"I tried to apologize, but he says it's no big deal. He tends to say that about a lot of things. It's…it's almost as if he's afraid of showing his true feelings."

"Afraid of showing his feelings? Why is that?"

"Well, where he comes from, you don't show how you feel to strangers or people you don't trust."

"So he does not see you as a friend?"

Abel was quiet. Perhaps Yuri never did. No matter how hard he tried, the dragon would just push him away.

The woman was silent, waiting for an answer. When she saw it was not coming she said, "That is most unfortunate."

"Hm?"

"It's sad that he does not trust you, especially when I can tell you have tried very hard to gain his trust and friendship."

Abel sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore…"

"Do you want to hear what I think you should do, Father?"

He glanced up from his coffee, his eyes wide. This woman knew what he should do?

"It is hard to fix what is broken when you are trying too hard to fix it. Sometimes, you have to fix things slowly, lest they break even more. Do you understand, Father? Rushing your friend into trusting you will only make him wary of you. He'll wonder why you're trying so hard, and thus, will move away."

Abel nodded. She was right. Yuri had probably noticed that Abel was trying much too hard to gain his trust.

"Judging by what you have told me, you said something to your friend that he did not wish to hear. You perhaps shocked him by your words. He believes you, but is too frightened of his own emotions to say it. That, or he's just a prideful fool."

Abel chuckled. "He is quite prideful…"

"See, there's the problem." The woman smiled. "People who are too full of themselves do not like others telling them they have a problem."

"Ah…that's probably why. I suppose it's too late to do anything."

The woman tutted. "Nonsense. You have to believe, Father. Have a little faith after all. I mean, you are a priest, so faith should come naturally."

Abel smiled widely; quite pleased he had met someone like this woman. "Excuse me, Miss. I believe I never got your name."

"Oh? Forgive me, Father. My name is Julianna. What's yours?"

"Abel."

"Well then Abel, it was a pleasure speaking to you. I feel as if I learned a lot about your personality from just those few sentences you told me."

Abel flushed. Was he that easy to read? He did not have time to contemplate this before he heard familiar voices. One was extremely loud, while the other was soft, and admonishing. Esther and Leon.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw the people in question coming down the street. However, they had another person with them; Yuri.

"Oh no…" Julianna gasped, hurriedly standing up and turning away from Abel's sight.

"Is there something wrong, Miss?" Abel asked.

"It seems I'll have to be taking my leave now. It was a pleasure meeting you, Father Abel. I hope I see you again." With that said, the woman was walked away.

_I wonder what her hurry was._

"Abel! So this is where you were!" Leon exclaimed, receiving a few glares from a few customers.

"Yes. I'm on break so, I decided to go and have some coffee."

"How ironic. We're here to make Yuri relax and take a break too. Personally I had other places in mind, but Esther was firmly against it…"

"Of course I was! You can't drink, Leon."

Leon sighed, hanging his head. "But…"

"No 'buts' about it! You know very well I was not going to allow you to drag Yuri around town like that."

Abel slowly looked over at Yuri. As soon as he made eye contact, the young man looked away, pretending as if he had not seen him. Abel tried not to feel horrible about it, but without much success.

Leon grabbed a chair and sat down next to Abel, whispering in his ear. "Don't mind, Yuri. He's been really quiet since we set out."

"Really?" Abel whispered back. "Why is that?"

"How should I know? I would ask him, but I don't want to bring his problems into the light around another person, you know."

Abel nodded. He understood all too well how Leon tried to interrogate people. He liked to do it when it was just them. Himself, and that person. Any more than that, and it was "difficult" he liked to say.

"What are you two whispering about?" Esther asked, crossing her arms.

Leon chuckled. "Do you want to know, Esther?"

Esther seemed to hesitate as she watched Leon smile widely. "Erm…no thank you. Yuri, do you want to go and get some coffee? I can assure you that Café Doria's coffee is the best around."

"Ah…I'd love to, Esther." Yuri and Esther bowed politely to the two priests before walking away.

Leon watched them, waiting until they were completely gone before he turned to Abel. "What's bothering you, friend?"

Abel sighed. He knew this was coming. "Nothing."

"Usually when you go and isolate yourself somewhere you have a problem. I think I would know."

"Honestly, there's nothing wrong."

"I usually say that too."

"Leon," Abel hissed, "I am fine."

"No you're not. You're just trying to convince me and everyone else that you're fine, but it's obvious you aren't. It's written on your face, even behind that fake smile of yours."

Abel winced. Ouch. Geez, was he really that easy to read?

"What's wrong, Abel? Maybe I can help you," Leon pleaded.

"There's nothing wrong. I just wanted a little fresh air and coffee. That does not mean something is bothering me."

Leon sighed, and leaned back in his chair. "I don't know why I even bother. You're just going to do the same damn thing all the time. Sulk, get better, sulk, get better. It's like a never ending cycle of angst."

Abel chuckled, trying to make the situation seem like a joke. Maybe that would throw Leon off. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Abel. It's not going to change that fact. I bet this has something to do with Yuri and that mission of yours."

Abel had bent his head down to sip some of his coffee, but started coughing when he heard Leon's words.

"Ah hah! So I was right. I thought so. You two have been acting weird since you got back. So, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing happened?"

"That's right, nothing."

"Something had to have happened for you two to be acting weird near each other. Don't look at me like that, Abel. It's obvious. Hell, even Esther noticed it."

"Oh? Really…well, that's unfortunate."

Leon chuckled. "Is that all you can say?"

Abel nodded, smiling genially. "Pretty much."

Right then and there, Leon and Abel had reached an understanding. Leon would not ask Abel anymore questions, and Abel would try not to sulk. That was their unwritten agreement. Oddly enough, that was all that was needed.

"Well, here comes, Esther. Hmm…weird. Where's Yuri? Heeeey, Esther!" Leon called, cupping his hands over his mouth like a megaphone. "Where's Yuri?"

Esther looked confused, and then turned around. Even from her distance Abel could see her shoulders tense.

"Don't tell me you lost him?"

"I-I…well, he was just right behind me."

"God damn---."

"Language, Leon, language!" Abel said, waving his hands in an effort to calm the bear-like man's temper.

Leon jumped out of his chair, knocking it over. "I knew he was going to pull a stunt like this, I just knew it! Now we gotta go searching for him. Abel, Esther, we're splitting up. Yuri can't have gotten far, and if he did, we'll have to tear the whole city apart trying to find him."

"Erm…is that really necessary?" Abel asked nervously.

"Of course it is! Caterina will tear the hides off our bodies if something happens to that kid."

Abel sighed, standing up. "All right, all right. I'll check the alleyways near here. That seems to be the best place to hide."

"I'm so sorry everyone…" Esther said sadly.

"Hey, it no problem, kid. Stuff like this happens. You just check to see if he's hiding inside the café, all right?" Leon replied kindly, a small smile on his face. His words comforted Esther, but only a little.

Soon, the three had split up, going their separate ways.

Abel had a feeling his hypothesis was correct. He could almost see Yuri leaning against a wall somewhere, waiting. Perhaps he was wrong, but he doubted it.

* * *

_**Author note…once again: **_Oh no, Yuri has run away! I wonder what's going to happen? Oh yes, about the dragon thing…what do you guys think? Should I add an information page? I had no plans on doing it, but everyone seems to really want to know what a dragon is exactly. Tell me what you think guys, I look forward to it! Oh, and yes, I know I added another chapter sooner than I was supposed to (was really going to update on Friday or Saturday), but I just can't help it. I hate making people wait because I know how it feels to sit by the computer waiting for a new chapter (one that has not been updated for months. Dx) 

Oh, btw, there is a real place in Rome called "Cafe Doria" (or more like Caffe Doria...which sounded weird so I changed it). While doing this fanfic, I sure learned a lot about places in Rome. Like, they really do have a Festival of Literature that comes about like in April and drags on into May. Interesting, eh?


	12. Information: Dragons

_**Information: Part Three "Dragons"**_

As one would guess, dragons are magical fire breathing reptiles of fairy tales. However, that is untrue for this case. Dragons are fire breathing creature's yes, but they do not have the ability to fly. They have a wide array of features, but the one that stands out the most is their appearance. Most dragons have a crocodile body shape and snout. Sometimes, they are even confused as giant crocs (go figure). The name "dragon" simply came about because that seemed like the proper name at the time. Oddly enough, this seems to be the only name that the race has taken. They had no other names before that...which I must say, is quite intriguing. However, my theory shall be kept for another day.

Dragons have a peculiar culture. They are trained from when they are children to fiercely control their emotions; making many of the older dragons seem, cold, and uncaring. This is not the case, though. Dragons have the ability to feel human emotions, but many are simply unable to show how they feel. As such, they are quite difficult to deal with.

Due to their long lifespan of about 800 (Lucyna being an exception), dragons are often known for storing vast quantities of information within their minds. Of course, this tends to make many of the weaker minded ones quite crazed due to an overload of information. These are the ones who are the most dangerous of criminals.

Dragons are well known for their pride, and would sooner die than crush it. Of course, this makes the Vatican see them in an even more negative light. After all, pride is one of the seven deadly sins.

Scientists believe that "dragons" may be an off branch of Methuselah, much like werewolves are considered the same thing. Dragons have sharp canines, just like vampires, and have extremely long lifespan. However, unlike Methuselah, they do not drink blood. Strangely enough, they do tend to go into a mad frenzy when they lose too much of their blood, or they see large quantities of it. This has made many of the dragon race classified as "squeamish."

* * *

**_Author note: _**Interesting, yes? Hopefully this clears up a little bit about the dragon race. They're an odd bunch if I do say so myself.


	13. A Little Understanding

**_Arthor note:_ **Yeah, I know I'm like super late updating this, and I'm so sorry I had you all wait so long. Dx

**Shadow:** I think I shall...later. xD is still thinking about what she should say in it

**Mel: **I think I sorta killed that nice comment since I haven't updated in literally weeks. Life outside of high school is so busy. I've been busy trying to find a job and working on my novel, that I kept putting off updating. I'm sorry. Julianna ran away because...muhaha, I can't tell you.

**_

* * *

_**

_**Chapter Ten: A Little Understanding**_

Yuri waited patiently for Abel to show up, for he knew he would. It was only a matter of time. Prehaps he had too much faith in the strange priest. If push came to shove, he'd have to simply wander back towards the coffee shop and wait if the man did not appear within twenty minutes.

Sighing, he leaned against the wall of the alleyway. He needed to apologize. However…would he be able to?

"Just say sorry," his conscience told him.

That was easier said then done. Sorry meant nothing if one did not truly mean it. He did mean it…but…just getting the words out was difficult.

"Dammit…I feel like an angst ridden teenager. This damn city and its people make me feel weird. I want to go back home…"

However, if he were to go back home with this problem, his people would probably laugh at him. Yuri Kostka did not apologize seriously. That was simply unheard of. Yet, here he was, waiting patiently for the person in question to appear so he could do just that.

"Stupid priest. Why can't you just disappear or something?" Wait…no. He did not really want that…did he? He kept telling himself that that's what he wanted, but in reality, he was not sure what he would do if Abel were gone. Would he continue on with his mission? Of course…but it would not feel the same...?

"So this is where you were. I had a feeling you did not wander too far away."

Yuri tensed. Abel had appeared just like he expected him to…so, erm…now what?

"Is something wrong, Yuri?" Abel asked gently, slowly walking towards him.

"No."

"Ah…" was all Abel said. Soon, the priest was standing next to him, leaning against the wall.

Yuri bit his lip. What was he supposed to say again? Oh, right, sorry. Erm…the question was how was he going to bring this about? His pride kept screaming at him to just walk away with Abel and head back to that caffe, or whatever the hell humans called it.

"Ah…Abel…"

The priest slowly turned his bright blue eyes towards him. Yuri could feel the words stopping in his throat. _Dammit, Yuri. It's just two damn words._ In the end, he simply kicked at rock and changed the subject. "You're such an idiot."

Abel blinked, looking away with a small frown. "I suppose so. It seems I've been messing up lately."

Yuri tried not to look at him. _Damn, that's not what I wanted to say. This is so hard…_ "W-What I mean is you're stupid for letting me push you around."

"Ah…I suppose."

"I…about two days ago…" Yuri could feel Abel tense up beside him, "it---don't blame yourself. It was my own damn fault."

"What?" Abel turned towards him, confused. "It was not. I…I was out of hand. I should have never said those things to you."

"Actually, you should have. You're the only one with enough guts to say it. Everything you said was true. I was acting like a spoiled child. It has been a long time since I've been in control of any situation in my life…after the whole ordeal with Fleur du Mal; I've been angry with myself, and angry at others."

Abel's eyes seemed to widen.

"I…in all honesty, was jealous of you, Abel. Everyone seemed to care about you. If something were to happen to you, I'm pretty sure it would be a huge blow to many people, especially your comrades. No one really cares enough about me to care if something were to happen to me, not after all I did in Fleur du Mal." Yuri knew he sounded like a whiny child, but he felt he needed to tell Abel why he acted so aggressively.

"I care, and everyone in the Agency cares."

Yuri smiled faintly, turning so Abel could not see his face. "Yes…I suppose so. Or are all of you putting on a show so I don't feel left out?"

"I'm pretty sure you know that answer, Yuri."

"Hmph...I suppose you're right again."

The two priests were quiet, listening to people chatting as they passed by about mundane things before the silence was broken by Yuri once again.

"You've earned my respect, Abel. I was too prideful to tell you that before. I had wanted to tell you after the church ordeal, but as usual, my pride held me back."

Abel's eyes widened slightly in shock.

"Don't get me wrong, I still hate you, but, well, not as much. You should be proud to have earned the respect of a proud member of the dragon race."

Abel smiled at this, the sadness in his eyes disappearing. "Thank you, Yuri."

"What are you saying 'thank you for'? Geez…"

"Well, you don't have to say it…"

"Say what?"

Abel chuckled. "I understand what you're trying to say, Yuri. It's all right..."

Yuri flushed slightly. So, Abel understood what he was trying to do all along. He was just waiting patiently for those words to come. "How did you know where I was?"

"Well…I don't know really. It was just a guess."

"Ah, I see. This was the only way I could talk to you alone without Leon and Esther listening in. I had a feeling I would not have a chance to talk to you in private all day."

"Probably not."

Yuri crossed his arms. "Was Caterina angry?"

"Angry?"

"Ah, never mind."

Abel blinked, confusion crossing his face. He looked like he wanted to say something, but Yuri stopped him.

"So, has the Orden been up to anything lately? It seems you all have not been on too many missions."

Abel bit his lip. "Well, to tell the truth, I find that odd. The Orden and Fleur du Mal have not really been doing anything lately…well, minus what happened to that girl in Albion…"

Yuri nodded. "Yes. I find that particularly odd. I think you Vatican people better get on alert. I have a feeling something big is going to happen…"

Abel nodded as well. "I have that feeling too."

"So, we've created a temporary truce?"

Abel blinked again, looking even more confused than he did before. "A temporary…? Oh! Yes, it would seem so." His smile returned wider than before.

Though Yuri would not admit it, he was glad that he made the priest smile rather than upset.

"Anyway, I suppose we better be heading back now before Leon and Esther explode from panic. Besides, there's much I need to tell Caterina about that file."

"Did you find out anything?"

"I have a hunch. You'll find out eventually I think."

Abel nodded gently, his expression a lot happier than it was before. Yuri could not help but smile back, though he did it faintly. For once, he was proud that he did not make things worse between them. Now, he and Abel could work to their maximum capacity. All they needed was a little understanding between them.


	14. Inside The Mind Of A Lion

_**Chapter Eleven: Inside The Mind Of A Lion**_

Leon yawned, watching Esther run around trying to find Yuri. It was amazing how clever he could be when he wanted to. He smiled at the memory of the conversation he and Yuri had earlier that day. He could almost see the pictures flying through his head like a flashback…

"_Father…erm, Mister---uh…"_

"_Just call me Leon, kid. I'm not that old."_

"_Uh…yes, of course. Um…about today---."_

_Leon chuckled. "I know, I know. You want to say something to Abel don't you? Like an apology or something?"_

_Yuri glared, but played it off when Esther glanced at him from over her shoulder. "And how do you know this, Leon?"_

"_I have sources. Then again, it's sort of obvious. Anyway, so, you got things planned out?"_

"_Planned…out?" Yuri watched him warily. "What do you mean by that?"_

"_Yeah. I know you don't want to confront Abel around me and Esther, right?"_

"_Y-Yes…that is correct."_

"_So, what are you going to do?"_

"_I…uh…don't know. Have any ideas, Father?"_

_Leon scoffed. "We've been over this. Don't call me Father or any other name. Leon will do just fine. From what Tres has told me earlier, Abel went off to the very café Esther plans on taking you. Coincidence, eh?"_

"_You mean to tell me that you and Esther planned all this out?" Yuri mumbled in annoyance._

"_Nah. Esther is sort of slow to catch on to these things. She knows there's something wrong with you, but she doesn't know what. Neither do I really. However, she often goes to the coffee shop when she's sad or feels overworked. I guess she thinks that by taking you there you'll feel a little better and will have the rest you need."_

"_That's very kind of her…" Yuri looked over at the red head as she starting giving him historical information about the buildings they passed. A small smile was on his face. Leon had to admit, when the kid was not frowning, he looked quite handsome._

"_Yeah, Esther is a softie," Leon agreed. "Anyway going back on topic, I think you should just pretend like you want coffee. If I know Esther, she's going to want to go and buy some. When that time comes, run along after her."_

_Yuri nodded slowly, absorbing all that he was being told. "So, I'm supposed to run away before then?"_

"_That's right. I'll go about my business as if I did not know what was going to happen. I have to make the acting believable don't I?"_

_Yuri nodded again, a small frown on his face._

"_What are you two talking about?" Esther asked slowing her pace so she was side by side with Leon and Yuri. She watched the both of them suspiciously as if they were planning on kidnapping her and throwing her body in a carriage._

"_Men stuff. You want to hear? I'm sure you'll find it interesting." Leon winked._

"_W-What?! N-No, of course not!" Esther exclaimed moving ahead of the two priests quickly, a small blush on her face._

_Leon chuckled as he watched her leave before looking back at Yuri. "So, do you like my plan?"_

"_I…I suppose it's decent. What do I do after that?"_

"_Find an alleyway close by, but not too close. I'll have Esther search around with me, that way you'll be able to talk to Abel." Leon chuckled. Able to talk to Abel. That was funny._

"_Hmm…it's a mediocre plan, but I suppose that will do. Aren't you curious as to why Abel and I are at odds?"_

"_Highly. However, it's not my place to force you to tell me. You'll tell me when you're ready I guess."_

_Yuri smiled softly. It looked like it was forced, but Leon could tell that the young man was trying to be civil. "What if I never tell you?"_

"_Then I'll just never know now will I?" Leon smiled widely. "I do so love mysteries."_

Leon sighed at the memory. He honestly hoped those two got their acts together. It would make missions harder for them if they did not work out their differences now. Just then, Esther plopped down in the chair next to Leon, sighing loudly.

"I can't find him, Leon…" she said.

"Oh?"

"Is that all you can say? Poor Yuri…he's probably lost somewhere."

"Maybe."

"Leon!" Esther slammed her hands on the table, almost making Leon fall over in terror. "You need to worry more! What if he gets kidnapped or something?! Her Eminence will be devastated! I'LL be devastated!" Her eyes were watering with unshed tears. Leon cringed as if he had been slapped. Women could be so sentimental sometimes. That was…unless…

"Esther, don't tell me you like, Yuri."

Esther blushed. "W-What? Of course not! He's a fellow clergyman!"

"So, you don't like him?"

"Of course not," she repeated, blushing brighter than ever.

"So you hate him? Well that's mean, Esther. I never took you for the heartless type. Geez, woman are so cruel. They can at least be honest and tell the person they hate that they actually hate them. The beating around the bush thing just isn't right."

Esther gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Leon! That's not true! I do like, Yuri!"

Leon smirked. "Really? But you just said you didn't like him. Which one is it, _Esther_?"

Esther blushed furiously, stood up, and ran inside Café Doria without another word. Leon could not help but laugh uproariously at the sight. Esther was so fun to pick on. Actually, everyone in AX was fun to pick on…well, minus Tres. Tres was just fun to confuse.

He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and listening to the hustle and bustle of people passing by in the streets with a sense of contentment. He always felt this way before being thrown back in the slammer. _I guess it's getting closer to that time,_ he thought sadly.

He loathed jail. There was absolutely nothing to do. All you could do was walk around your cell or read. Not much fun in his opinion. To this day he could not understand how Yuri took such enjoyment out of it. Especially when he could be hopping around elsewhere, playing in the park or something. He snickered at the thought. A mental image of Yuri playing with kids made him smile.

"Whew, we're back, Leon. Yuri wandered quite a ways away from here."

Leon cracked open an eye, staring at Abel's goofy smile. "You're back? It's about damn time. Sheesh."

Abel rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I thought it did not take long."

"It didn't, Abel. Leon's just impatient."

Leon opened his other eye, smirking. Yuri was always so straight to the point. In a way, the dragon reminded him of Tres. "Yeah, I'm impatient," he admitted. "I guess that's something me and you have in common, eh, Yuri?"

Yuri blinked, tilting his head. "What are you talking about?"

Leon chuckled. "Nothing. Nothing at all. I'm just rambling."

"Leon…where's Esther? Don't tell me you lost her too?" Abel said, cleaning a smudge off his glasses.

"What? No. She's around. She had to go to the bathroom or something. She'll be out soon."

Yuri and Abel glanced at each other, but no words were uttered. For some reason, Leon could feel that the two had solved their differences…or at least for now. Closing his eyes, he smiled.

Leon was disappointed that their trip to the café had to be cut short. Tres had appeared telling them to head back to HQ. The android always had a way of ruining Leon's breaks. _At least you're not in jail, _he told himself. That was all that mattered. He'd follow Caterina's orders to the end of the earth if she would cut his sentence.

* * *

The trek back was pleasant. A few conversation here and there, the usual. Leon tried to waste as much time as he could before he had to be sent off on another perilous mission. Today, he felt unusually lazy. 

Despite his efforts to kill time, the group made it back to the Main Church is little time. What had felt like forever when he had originally walked to Café Doria, was only about a fifteen minute walk from the church.

"So, Tres, did Her Eminence say what she needed us for?"

"Negative."

"Really?" Leon asked.

"Positive."

Sighing, Leon ran a hand through his shaggy black mane. It must have been important for the whole group to have to go back.

"It's probably about…" Yuri trailed off, shaking his head.

"About what?"

"I can't tell. It's classified. You'll have to see."

Leon frowned. Why the hell was everyone being so damn mysterious today? Sheesh, was he not important enough to be mysterious too? Not that he was whining of course. Leon Garcia de Asturias did not whine.

_Well this sucks, _he thought in annoyance.

The group had reached the Church in twenty minutes, mainly due to Leon's 'dilly dallying'. As soon as they stepped into the church, Sister Kate appeared, a frown on her face.

"Where have you all been?"

Leon winced. Sister Kate could be scary when she wanted to be. "Uh…it's all entirely---."

"My fault," Esther added. "I asked Yuri to take a break from his work to have some coffee."

Leon felt his heart swell with joy and gratitude. He was so thankful Esther had saved him. He was pretty sure he would not have been able to take Sister Kate's glare any longer.

"She's a hologram…" Yuri said with interest.

Sister Kate flushed. "Y-Yes. I am indeed a hologram."

Yuri blinked, tilting his head in interest. "Amazing."

_Ah, I forgot Yuri has never met Sister Kate before,_ Leon thought with mild amusement. Yuri could be such a child sometimes.

"Anyway," Sister Kate continued. "Hurry and get to the Cardinal's room. We need to get some facts straight."

"What facts?" Leon asked despite himself.

"You'll see when you come, Leon," Sister Kate sighed as if admonishing a small child. However, she smiled and shook her head before flickering away.

"Incredible. I did not know humans had such technology…" Yuri mumbled.

"Ah, well, uh…y-yes. We're not left in the Stone Age you know." Abel smiled.

"I'm quite aware however…" Yuri did not finish. "We should be leaving. I want to get this over with so I can go to bed."

"Go to bed? But it's still so early…" Esther said, playing with the ends of her sleeves.

Yuri shrugged and walked after Tres who was already going down the hallway. Esther looked at Leon and Abel with a small frown. The two priests shrugged and followed after the two stoic men.

Leon could almost sense Yuri's nervousness as he stood in front of Lady Caterina's desk. It was not a surprising feeling, however. After all, Yuri had felt that way before. _Relax, kid. Caterina's not going to rip your head off. Sheesh. _

Caterina had waited until everyone was filing into the room before she began to speak. "Mister Kostka, have you been able to figure out anything concerning those files?"

"Yes, Your Eminence. I think I've figured out what is going on."

Caterina nodded for him to continue.

"I…well, I believe there is an inside force that's trying to keep Fleur du Mal at bay, as well as the Orden."

Everyone in the room glanced at one another in confusion. _What the hell are these two talking about? _Leon thought. He had not been briefed on what this "file" was that Yuri had been looking at. Judging by the way everyone looked at each other, they did not know either.

Caterina leaned forward in her chair. "What makes you say this, Mister Kostka?"

"Well…uh…Your Eminence, have you ever heard of the Spy Network?"

"Yes, plenty of times."

"Well, I believe that this network may be involved somehow. They are supposed to follow the orders of their employers. I don't know who hired that particular spy to kill Cezar and Bernhardt, but it must have been for a good reason."

Caterina nodded slowly, and then turned her gaze towards everyone else. "Forgive me for not explaining all of this to you. Earlier, Father Nightroad and Mister Kostka--."

Sister Kate flickered into the room. "Forgive me, Your Eminence, but Father Watteau has returned from his mission."

"Ah…good. Hurry and send him here."

Sister Kate nodded and flickered out.

_It's about damn time, Hugue, _Leon thought as he crossed his burly arms. The blonde haired priest had been gone for nearly a month. What was he doing? It was never said. He could guess though. Hugue had probably gone MIA again. That tended to happen sometimes.

"There's another member in AX?" Yuri asked gently.

"Yes. I'm sorry that you were not able to meet him before, Yuri. However, he has been doing jobs for me. Running errands I suppose you could say," Caterina explained.

Yuri nodded slowly. "I see…"

"You and Hugue will probably get along really well. You both act just about alike," Leon said, chuckling.

Yuri frowned, his face a mixture between confusion and annoyance.

"They do sort of act alike…" Esther added softly, kicking the plush red carpet with her shoe.

Yuri did not say anything, but Leon could tell he wanted to. It took a lot of willpower not to laugh outright at the little dragon. That would have just made things worse.

"Miss Caterina…your tea is getting cold," Abel said, randomly changing the topic.

Caterina seemed just as taken aback as everyone else did. "Uh, ah yes, I forgot about it. Thank you, Abel."

Sipping her tea, Caterina looked around the room, her blue eyes landing on Yuri once again. Even from where Leon was standing he could see Yuri temporarily tense under her watchful gaze.

"Yuri, have you found out anything useful to your original mission?"

"My…? Oh, yes, I have. I've learned a great deal about Vatican culture and beliefs. I think I'm starting to understand this country a little better, but only a little."

"Ah, well that's good. If you have any questions, William could help you. He's quite knowledgeable in history."

"Here, here, Lady Caterina!" William smiled, nodding vigorously.

Leon stifled a chuckle. Crazy William could be useful. However, the priest loved to hear himself talk, often going off on a tangent. If Yuri got anything out of _that_ man, he would be impressed.

Just then, Sister Kate reappeared in the room, causing Yuri to jump at her sudden appearance. The nun smiled apologetically at him, and then turned her attention to Caterina. "Your Eminence, Father Watteau is on his way. He should be here right about---."

The door gently opened and a handsome priest with long shining blonde hair stepped into the room. The man seemed somewhat tired.

"Ah, good, you're finally here," Caterina said, smiling.

The priest bowed slightly. "Forgive me for being gone so long. I ran into…trouble."

Leon titled his head. Hugue ran into trouble? It must have been pretty big to keep away from the Vatican for so long.

"You will have to brief me on your mission later. For now, I would like to introduce you to our temporary member of AX, Yuri Kostka. Yuri, this is Hugue de Watteau."

Hugue turned his dark green eyes towards Yuri and bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Kostka. I hope that I am able to speak to you in private later. That way, I can get to know more about our new member."

Yuri nodded slowly. "Same here, Mister Watteau."

Caterina waited silently for a few minutes, sipping her tea. "Now that everyone is here, I'd like Yuri and Abel to explain what happened in Londinium when I sent them off on their mission."

Abel looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Uh, this is sudden…uh, what happened was me and Yuri, erm, I mean Yuri and I were sent off on an easy mission to Londinium. Basically we were just supposed to deliver a package to Father Winslow. That went well and good before…well…" Abel glanced at Yuri expectantly.

Sighing, Yuri continued the story. "A woman was murdered by two vampires of Fleur du Mal. Their names were Cezar and Bernhardt, two wanted vampires in your country I believe. Anyway, moving on. Oddly enough, these two vampires were killed as well as the woman."

"What?" Vaclav said. "Why were they killed?"

"I'll get there eventually, Father," Yuri replied kindly. "The bodies of the vampires were hard to recognize due to the nature of their murder, however, blood samples show that some of the wounds inflicted were that of a large dog."

"A werewolf…" Hugue mumbled.

Yuri nodded, clearly impressed. "Correct. It would seem a werewolf was the culprit. However, what is odd is why a werewolf attacked them in the first place."

Silence wafted through the room. Yuri had a point. Why would a werewolf attack a vampire? It was not unheard of, but it was rare. Werewolves usually attacked wild animals or even humans. Why they would attack a vampire was a good question.

William chewed on the end of his pipe. "This sounds a lot like someone hired this werewolf to take those two out."

"Yes, it does. The question is, why? It would be easy to say that considering those two's records. But, don't you think that's too simple?"

Leon watched everyone in the room. They all seemed to be seriously thinking about what they were told. Leon would have loved to join in…but this was not his element. For now, he'd just sit and listen.

"What do you believe, Yuri?" Caterina asked, leaning forward.

"I believe that perhaps, just perhaps, the Spy Network may be involved."

"I thought that was disbanded," Sister Kate said, finally speaking up.

"It was supposed to be, well, in Italy anyway. In my country and elsewhere, it seems to still be going strong."

Caterina nodded, sipping her tea. "So you believe someone; some outside force, is watching Fleur du Mal."

"Correct. It could be a number of people. After all, Fleur du Mal is not…uh, popular you could say. Even a member of the Rosenkruez Orden may have killed those two."

"The question is, why would someone in the Orden risk losing an important ally like that?" Caterina raised an eyebrow.

"I…I'm not sure. I'm still trying to look into this. This has proved to be quite a difficult case. If we were able to catch a member of Fleur du Mal…" he trailed off when everyone watched him expectantly.

"That's a good idea, Yuri," Caterina said, putting her cup of coffee back on the table. "That just might work. We could interrogate that person, asking them if they know a werewolf in the syndicate."

"However," William said, raising a finger, "how will this be done? It's not everyday you capture a live member of Fleur du Mal. Most of them fight to the death or get killed before they can be captured."

"We'll figure that out, just not today. All of you must be tired. We'll continue this conversation another day."

"Miss Caterina…" Yuri said quietly.

"Yes?"

"Your brother is going to find out about this. What are you going to do? This is in his department as well isn't it?"

"Ah…yes. I'll deal with him when the time comes."

"Yes, all right."

Caterina clasped her hands together. "Yuri, take a break. You have worked far too much. I think you need it."

Yuri blinked, a deep frown slowly appearing on his face.

Leon could tell that Caterina's words had not gone well with the young dragon. If Caterina could tell, she did not take notice of it.

"Resting will do you good. Overworking is never a good thing, even if it is for an admirable purpose."

"Yes, Your Eminence," Yuri said apathetically. Leon almost shuddered at how mechanical he sounded just then.

Caterina sighed, rubbing her temples. "Now that all of you have been briefed, you may leave. However, if you still have questions about what has been said, please speak up now."

William raised his hand. "Miss Caterina, may I see those files?"

"Ah, yes, of course, William. Whatever for?"

"I want to study them you could say."

Caterina nodded, a curious expression crossing her beautiful face. "The files will be sent to your room later."

"Thank you." William bowed, bid everyone adieu and left the room.

Yuri did not wait for anymore questions. As quickly as he was able, he stormed out the room.

Rubbing her temples again, Caterina sighed. "Everyone, leave Yuri alone for the time being. I'm sure he wants some privacy now. However, if he comes to you and wishes to speak then go right ahead and talk to him. Until then, leave him be."

"Yes, Your Eminence," everyone said in unison before filing out. Soon, the only ones left behind were Hugue, Leon, and Tres, who was standing in a dark corner of the room like a watch dog.

"You may go, Leon. I need to speak to Hugue alone." Caterina said, not looking up from the stack of papers on her desk.

Leon glanced at Hugue and raised an eyebrow. Was this an update on whatever Hugue's mission had been? Whatever it was, it must have been classified if Caterina was sending him away.

"All right. I'll be in the cafeteria stuffing my face if you need me."

Caterina did not look up to acknowledge him as he left the room.

Leon was curious as to what those two were going to be discussing, but knew better than to even _try _to eavesdrop. Tres would have him shot full of holes in no time. Well…not really, but Leon was sure that the punishment would not be nice. Only one punishment crossed his mind. Going back to jail.

He grimaced at the thought as he disappeared down the hallway, wondering what was going to be served for dinner today.

* * *

**_Author note: _**I know I usually reply to people's reviews but...not this time. xD I love you all, but seriously, I'm just too lazy to do it. All I can say is thanks a bunch! I promise to reply to all your reviews next time!

Anyway, I found this chapter fun to write, mainly due to Leon. It's so fun writting from his POV. You can do so much with Leon that's it's not even funny. He can be serious and he can be funny. Alas, I love Leon so. xD


	15. The Wolf And The Vampire

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Shadow:** Aww thank you! xD Here's the long awaited update!

**Kasumita: **LoL. Aww, it's no problem, Kasu. You don't have to review for every chapter. I'm glad you found the dragon information useful (in all honesty, it sure was fun to write). No one seems to notice my dislike for Esther (LoL, not even my friends from school). I'm so glad I could keep my bias out and make her retain her persona. Yes, Leon never fails to disappoint, which is why I oh so love him. Don't worry Kasu, when I typed down "able to talk to Abel" I laughed too. xD (Feels lamer)

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_**Chapter Twelve: The Wolf And The Vampire **_

Abel sat by the window in the cafeteria watching the people below with a smile. Today felt like a beautiful day. Hopefully, he would not have to work. Yesterday he had been given a break from his usual duties, which though he was unhappy about it, did get a chance to relax. Now, Abel was quite frankly, bored.

Leon walked into the cafeteria, yawning. He was the last person Abel expected to see up so early in the morning. Usually, just like Yuri, Leon slept until crazy hours of the day.

"Good morning, Leon," Abel said jovially.

"Same to you, Abel," Leon replied, sitting down. He stared out the window, a small frown on his face.

"Uh…why are you up so early? Usually you sleep in."

"I woke up earlier, but couldn't go back to sleep."

"Ah…" Abel said, nodding. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Leon laughed. "Me? Having a nightmare? Of course not, Abel. Sheesh, don't talk crazy now. I just woke up earlier than I was supposed to, and couldn't go back to sleep. What are you doing up so early?"

"I couldn't go back to sleep either. I was pondering what Yuri had told us yesterday…"

"Don't tell me that's what's bothering you? It's serious business, but I'm sure everything will work out in the end."

Abel sighed. "I surely hope so."

Leon leaned back in his chair. "So, what are you going to do about it, Abel?"

"W-What?" Abel stared at Leon incredulously.

"What are you going to do about it? It's bothering you, right? Aren't you going to find a way to figure all this out?"

"We can't act without Miss Caterina's permission…"

Leon leaned forward, smirking. "She does not have to know that we did a little research on our own, Abel. Plus she said we were going to do this eventually, right?"

"T-True…but---."

"Come on, Abel. Let's figure this out. We'll just pretend like we're going on break or something."

Abel bit his lip. Something told him this was a bad idea, but then again, his heart was racing with excitement. If he and Leon did find a lead in this case, then perhaps, just perhaps, they could fix everything before it got out of hand.

"Do you have any type of lead on where we're supposed to go?"

Leon's grin grew larger. "I do actually. I got it last night."

"You got it last night? What does that mean?"

Leon leaned in conspiratorially. "Apparently, someone put this letter in my room." He held out a small tattered piece of paper. "Now I don't know how it got into my room, or how the person who sent it even got inside, but they seem to have a good idea on where we're supposed to look."

Abel's eyes widened, and he looked around frantically. "Leon, you have to show this to Miss Caterina," he hissed.

"I will, I will. But first, I want to see what this is for myself."

"It could be a trap, Leon." Abel's eyes hardened.

"It could be," Leon casually replied.

Abel and Leon stared at each other for a minute as if sizing up to each other. Sighing in defeat, Abel hung his head. "This is a bad idea, Leon."

"It's risky, but I think everything will work out. Plus, if things get really out of hand, we'll contact, Caterina. How's that?"

Leon's words did not make Abel feel any better. Something kept telling him this was a bad idea, but then again, Leon's charisma was addicting. Maybe, just maybe, this might work out.

"All right, where do we look?"

Leon smiled.

* * *

Sneaking out of the Church proved to be quite easy. The few priests that Leon and Abel encountered were easy to deceive. Abel felt uneasy about lying to the clergymen, but it could not be helped. Leon was strict about no one finding out about what the two were up to. 

Following the directions in the letter, Leon led Abel farther and farther away from the church. It was the afternoon by the time the two men had found their destination. The building that Leon had told him to go to looked like a good hideout for a villain. It was in the slum section of Rome, and as such was drastically falling apart. The wood on the building looked like it was decaying, and it smelled of mold and decay. Hardly a healthy place for anyone to live.

"So this is the place…" Abel said hesitantly.

Leon looked down at the small, tattered piece of paper in his hand. "Well, that's what the directions say."

Abel sighed from behind his hiding place in the bushes. "What did the person say in the letter? I mean, what are we supposed to do?"

"Uh…apparently we're supposed to go inside."

I…w-what?! Go inside?" Abel whispered frantically. This screamed trap all over it.

"Yes, go inside. Well what else did you think we were going to have to do?"

"I…well…I thought that maybe there would be better instructions. We should not do this, Leon. This screams trouble."

A thoughtful expression crossed Leon's face, making Abel sigh in relief. The man probably now saw the folly of his ways.

"Well in that case, we're just going to have to be careful."

Abel sighed. Never mind.

"Do you have your headset? Just in case we have to call Sister Kate for help or something."

"Yes, I have it." Abel moved his bangs behind his ears so Leon could see it.

"Good. All right, let's go."

Abel sighed, following after the reckless priest as they snuck their way towards the back door.

The back door was all but falling off its hinges. It took a lot of willpower to carefully and silently, remove it without its hinges squeaking in protest. However, the two priests eventually did it.

As soon as they stepped inside the dark building, the smell of decay and mold assaulted them. Abel, trying his best to fight back his allergies followed silently after Leon as they walked further into the building.

The building looked like something from a horror movie. All it needed was creepy music, and it would have perfectly fit the part.

Leon held his arm out, stopping Abel in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

Leon simply stood stock still, like a dog that had just caught the scent of a rabbit. Slowly, the man pulled out his weapons, pushing Abel back a bit with his hand.

Before Abel to ask him what was going on, a small boy rushed out of a room, screaming in terror. As soon as the boy saw them, he froze for a split second before rushing towards them in an effort to escape what was chasing him.

Without thinking, Abel jumped in front of Leon, tripping the boy before Leon could react.

"AHH!" the boy screamed, instantly covering his head with his hands.

Fiercely, Leon grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, shaking him. "Who are you?"

"I-I---save me! Save me, please! He's coming!"

Leon blinked, his mouth slackening in confusion.

The boy wailed louder, trying to escape an invisible foe.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Leon growled, shaking the boy again. With another wail, the boy was instantly identified. His sharp fangs had shown just what he was; a vampire.

Before Leon and Abel could react to this newfound information, half the wall was literally destroyed as a large, scrawny black wolf bounded out, pools of deadly saliva dripping from its muzzle.

Abel tensed. A werewolf. What was one doing here in Rome?

As if on instinct, Leon threw the vampire behind him, and reached into his robe for his weapons. In a split second, the monstrous dog was on top of Leon, bearing down on him with its long fangs.

"Dammit! You're pretty strong for a skinny dog!" Leon yelled, holding the dog's mouth away with his hand, saliva dripping on his face. "Do something, Abel!"

The vampire screamed, about to run away, but Abel held him back as he took out his gun aiming at the dog's head.

As if sensing it, the beast jumped off Leon and hurled itself at Abel and the terrified vampire. Both went flying, thrown against the wall.

The werewolf barked and snarled, its voice harsh and cold against Abel's ears. It was like listening to someone with a raspy voice. "Humans are so entertaining. It's a shame that I cannot stay and play with you longer. I have business to attend to, so the both of you will have to wait your turn."

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Abel said, holding his side and trying to find his gun. The werewolf was smart however. As soon as he reached for it, the beast smacked it away with his paw.

"Asking questions at gunpoint? How rude. Just for that, I won't tell you anything," the beast snarled, tensing its body as if to lunge forward.

Leon noticed it. As quickly as he could he reached for his weapon again, but sharp black claws dug into his arm. "Shit!" He yelled. "Ok, maybe this was a bad idea."

The werewolf growled. Something told Abel that it was more a laugh than anything else. "Who sent you? How did you know about this meeting?"

"The hell should I know," Leon growled back.

The werewolf snarled, sinking his claws in deeper until Leon began to bleed profusely. "Won't answer? Then I have nothing more to say to you."

Without another word, the wolf opened its jaws, slowly inching it closer to the priest's throat. Leon however, was a fighter. There was no way he was going down without doing some damage. Cursing, he punched the demonic hound with all his strength in the face with his right arm. The force of the man's punch made the beast howl in agony, jumping away.

However, it only took a second for the beast to recover before he was about to lunge at Leon again. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, it stopped, perking up its ears. It sniffed the air, and tensed visibly.

Abel coughed up blood, watching warily. What had stopped the monster?

Taking this as an opportunity for attack, Leon did the one thing he could think of. He shoved his disk weapon smack dab into the wolf's chest.

Howling in agony, the beast hopped off, and jumped out a nearby window.

Leon and Abel lay on the ground, both trying their best to catch their breath. What had distracted that monster? Whatever it was, it saved their lives.

"Well…we got our captive," Leon said after a few minutes of silence, a bit of humor in his voice despite their situation.

Abel chuckled, wincing when he felt pain in his chest. "It would seem so. The problem is…how are we going to take him back?"

Leon sighed, pushing himself off the ground and scrubbing away saliva from the werewolf off his face as if it was acid. "We'll have to stay here until nightfall. That, or we could tell Sister Kate about what we did."

Abel winced. "That…doesn't sound good…"

"Tell me about it." Leon sighed, looking over at Abel. "How are you feeling? Did you break anything?"

"No…well, I think I cracked a rib…other than that, I'm fine. You're the one who looks like you're in bad condition…"

Leon scoffed, taking off his priest robe. "Me? Pssh. This is just a baby wound." Ripping off a piece of his robe, he began tying it around his arm, trying to stop it from bleeding. "Thank God that things saliva didn't touch this. I'm not looking forward to becoming a werewolf, or dying for that matter."

"Sorry, Leon…I…I wasn't much help."

Leon walked over to Abel, gently helping him up and dusting off his robes. "Hey, don't worry about it. We got our captive and we're both alive, so everything worked out for the best, right?"

"I…suppose," Abel replied, glancing down at the unconscious vampire. He looked like a young man. When Abel had thought "captive" he pictured some slick-looking man with bloodthirsty eyes. Instead, all he saw was someone who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen.

Leon bent down, checking to see if the vampire was hurt. Everything seemed fine from what Abel could tell.

"I wonder what's going on. I mean…werewolves attacking vampires is just…well, weird. And what was that garbage about a meeting?"

Abel shrugged, wincing at the pain he felt in his chest again. "You don't think Fleur du Mal is having power struggles do you?"

"I don't know. We'll have to wait until this kid wakes up." Leon sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair. "Good thing I have another weapon. That stupid werewolf ran off with one of them. I'll have to get it back."

"And how are you going to do that?"

Leon smirked. "Whenever I see him again. Werewolves carry grudges right? Or at least that's a myth…"

Abel blinked. "You _want _it to come back?"

"What are you crazy? Of course I don't. But, I have to give him payback for my arm." Leon held his arm out, showing off his make shift bandage. Chances were, the man was going to get a few scars…of course, Leon did not seem to mind. After all, those were just "baby" wounds.

"Hey, Abel, are you sure you're all right? You got thrown against that wall pretty hard…"

"Don't worry. I heal quickly. Well…uh…this will take a few days to heal, but it will…eventually."

Leon nodded. "I forgot you heal fast…"

Abel sighed and leaned against a wall. This whole mission was a success, and yet a disaster at the same time. He and Leon were going to get in trouble, no doubt about it. There was no way they were going to be able to cover this fiasco up. Especially with them both wounded. Oh yes, they would not get the end of Caterina's lecture.

"Leon…do you think what we did was a good idea?"

All Abel received for an answer was silence. Silence coming from Leon, was never a good thing.

* * *

**_Author note:_** -Gasps- The plot is starting to really thicken. D: I wonder what's going to happen? -dun dun dun- 


	16. Information: Werewolves

_**Information: Part Four "Werewolves"**_

To many people werewolves are gigantic black wolves or even half beast, half man. However, this is not true. Yes werewolves are rather large for normal wolves, but their coloration can be different from black, or any other dark color.

There is a myth that werewolves transform during a full moon that has not died down despite the times. While werewolves do enjoy being out during a full moon, they do not necessarily go into a beserk state when around it. For younger werewolves, the moon serves as something to help them during a transformation. You could say it's calming in a way.

Careful study of werewolf saliva over the centuries has shown that these beast's drool is deadly, much like that of the famous Kimodo Dragon. Once bitten by this creature, you either become infected with the beast's DNA (becoming a werewolf yourself), or dying. Dying is what most people prefer than the treatment most werewolves face wherever they go. However, death is not instant. Actually, it's quite slow and painful. So far, the Vatican is trying to develop a vaccine for werewolf bites, though there is really no need. Werewolves are a minority. If anything it is almost as if the speices is dying out altogether.

* * *

**_Author note: _**You know, I was planning on adding an information page on Deon, but decided against it. He'll have to wait. I thought adding a little information on werewolves would be a bit more helpful. Especially after Leon and Abel's encounter.


	17. Ayden The Traitor

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Shadow: **LoL. Sorry there was no Yuri in that chapter for you. This time he's here, though not much I'm afraid.

**Demon of Darkness and Death (a.k.a Triple D): **Why hello there new fan. xD I'm glad you love my fanfic. I'll try to keep it as entertaining as possible. Don't worry about me not finishing this. It'll be done. I promise you that much.

_**

* * *

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_**Chapter Thirteen: Ayden The Traitor**_

Abel sighed, waiting patently for their captive to awaken. It had been several hours. How many? Abel could not be sure. All he knew was that his eyes were beginning to droop and that his chest was still aching. His wonderful day had turned into an absolute nightmare. He made a note to himself never to follow Leon anywhere.

"Did the werewolf hit you two that hard? That kid has been out for a while. Are you sure he's not dead?"

"Leon…he's a vampire. They don't just die from things like this. I'm surprised he's even passed out."

"Maybe he's a black sheep? I mean, he doesn't look intimidating. Looks kinda scrawny…"

"L-Leon, that's not nice," Abel said sternly.

"Well, it's true. You're fine…sorta. He should be feeling like one hundred times that."

Abel kicked the ground with his shoe. Leon was right, though he did not wish to admit it. There was no way the vampire should have been knocked out by such an attack. Sure it was quick and brutal, but Abel had felt worse.

Leon kicked the small vampire with his shoe softly as if he was some dead animal. "I say we torture him. If he wakes up, then he's alive. If he doesn't---."

Before Leon could finish the vampire opened his eyes, glaring coldly at the two. It seemed after his rest he regained a bit of his composure. "You're going to hurt me? What sort of holy men are you?"

Leon smirked. "Just as I thought. You were faking it." Bending down so he was face level with the vampire he narrowed his eyes. "Were you trying to find some weakness somewhere so you could bolt? I'll tell you something, you wouldn't have gotten far."

The vampire gulped slightly, but kept his eyes cold. "You can't kill me. You need to question me don't you?" A large grin began to appear on his face.

"That doesn't mean we can't hurt you, kid. I'm pretty sure cutting off your hand won't kill you. Plus, it will have you talking in no time."

The small vampire seemed to pale. "I-I wouldn't say anything to the likes of you."

"You sure looked like you were going to spill the beans earlier when you were running from that psychopathic dog."

The vampire's eyes narrowed, but he did not utter a retort. Instead, he opted to have a glaring contest with Leon.

"Sir, may we ask what your name is?" Abel asked, trying to veer the conversation elsewhere.

"Why should I tell you anything?"

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Because we could offer you protection that's why. If you don't act decently, we may have to leave you here. I'm pretty sure you don't want that considering your buddies want to kill you."

"Y-You…" the vampire trailed off, terrified. Abel did not have to be a genius to see that the vampire was indeed very young. By the way he acted there was no denying it. Sure his kind could look like children and be much older, but Abel had a hunch he was just as his age showed him. He looked no more than thirteen or fourteen.

"All right, all right, let's go, Abel. This kid is being difficult."

"Wait," the boy hissed. "You have to protect me. I'm important."

"Important? What are you like a noble or something?" Leon asked curiously.

"No you fool. I know a lot about what's going on within Fleur du Mal. Leaving me is out of the question. If you do so, you won't be finding a better source. A lot of the older more powerful members are the ones who know as much as I do."

"And how do you know all this?" Abel said.

The vampire seemed taken aback for a minute. "I…uh…I just do."

Leon laughed, causing both Abel and the boy to jump. "He's lying, Abel. He probably doesn't know anything."

"No you're wrong! I know something really important! You probably wouldn't understand you filthy Terran!"

Leon seemed unaffected by his words. "Come on, Abel. Let's just leave. I'm sure the Inquisitorial Department will find this kid if Fleur du Mal doesn't."

The boys eyes widened in absolute terror as he watched Leon stand up. "W-Wait! Don't leave me here! I'm a sitting duck in this place."

"Then tell me, why did you come here in the first place?"

"I…" the boy trailed off again.

"You what? Hurry up, we don't have all day."

"I was here to meet someone."

"Meet who?" Abel asked gently. Leon sure was not making the situation better. His scare tactics were working…though Abel did not want to admit it. He honestly wished the man would be a little bit more gentle with his words instead of barking questions here and there like a drill sergeant. Abel guessed it was just his soldier persona coming back into action. It did tend to do that sometimes…

The boy looked around nervously, as if he was afraid someone was overhearing. "A…A man. He said his name was Isaak…"

Leon and Abel glanced at each other briefly, both with shocked expressions on their faces. Isaak? There was only one Isaak the both of them knew of, and he was bad news.

"Is this Isaak apart of the Rosenkruez Orden?" Abel asked, cleaning a smudge off his glasses.

"Yes…I was going to give him information on my group."

Abel sighed. So it was _that _Isaak. Well, this was bad, very bad. Did that mean the RCO was here in Rome, or that just a member was currently stationed here on business? Either way, this was not good.

"What is this information? And why did you decide to turn on your own partners in crime?" Abel said.

"I…well…I can't tell you."

"And why not?" Leon growled.

"I-I just can't!" the boy wailed, covering his face with his hands.

Leon stared at him for a few minutes, then looked over at Abel. "So, what are we going to do? Take him back to HQ?"

"Well, we can't leave him here. Plus, maybe Yuri can get something out of him since they---."

"You know, Yuri?" The boy interrupted. When he said Yuri's name, he almost made him sound like he was some type of lifeline.

"Y-Yes…uh…do you know him?"

The boy sighed, slouching his shoulders in relief. "Thank the Empress. Well, that's good. It's nice to know he's not dead. What's he doing helping a bunch of Terrans for? Especially _Holy_ ones?"

Abel's eye twitched. Why did vampires always make him feel like he was dirty or something? "He's under orders from his Elder."

"Oh. Well, that's weird. Hey…what the hell are you staring at mister?" The boy said, glaring up at Leon.

Leon bent down, his face level with the vampire. Quickly, he reached his hand out, running a finger down the boy's cheek.

"What the fuck are you touching me for you bastard?!" Slapping his hand away, he hissed.

"UV gel," Leon mumbled, tasting the gel substance that was on his index finger. "You didn't tell us you had UV gel?"

The boy looked away.

"Trying to bide time? What for? You think that Isaak guy is going to save you? Sorry to say but apparently, you're not worth protecting."

"Leon," Abel snapped, "that's enough."

"It's true, though. He's not worth protecting. That's why no one's coming to save him."

The boy was quiet, his eyes taking on a dead look. It was almost as if his spirit was completely broken by those words. Almost…as if he was just going to give up.

Leon watched him silently. A few minutes passed before the man spoke up again. "We need to leave. Caterina needs to hear what's going on. Hey kid, if you want the Vatican's protection, or at least the Cardinal's, you're going to have to come with us."

"My name's not, 'kid.' It's Ayden. Ayden Boldizsár…"

Abel could tell Leon was pleased that the boy finally told them who he was, though the man's face still held a stern look. "Ayden, huh? Well then, sorry for the way I acted. I got into interrogation mode for a moment. My names Leon, and this is Abel. We'll be taking you back to the Main Church now. It's for the best."

"Prehaps…" Ayden whispered. "I can't go back to the organization…and I can't go to the Rosenkreuz Orden…so I guess I have nowhere to go…"

Abel watched the vampire sadly. He honestly hoped things would work out for the best. Though he did not really know Ayden well, he felt that the little vampire was not as bad as he had initially thought. Prehaps he was like Yuri…

* * *

"Where the hell is, Abel and Leon?" Yuri mumbled as he bit into a ham and cheese sandwich. The two had been gone for hours, leaving Yuri quite frankly, bored. He loved to read, and could have done that, but today he was just not in the mood. The only place that seemed like heaven right now was the cafeteria. He did not have Tres standing over his shoulder for once. Yuri planned on milking his solitude for all it was worth before his privacy was shattered once again. 

"Yuri! So this is where you were."

Yuri sighed. Esther. Why could people not just leave him alone? Sure he loved the girl's presence…despite her annoying questions, but that did not mean he wanted to constantly be around her…and as of late, that's what was going on.

"Hello, Esther. Yes, I'm in here…eating."

Esther smiled and sat down in a seat across from him. "It's rare to see you out of your room at this time. Did you sleep well?"

Yuri frowned slightly. What the hell was that supposed to mean? He did not stay locked up in his room all the time.

"Esther, do you know where Leon and Abel are?"

"No…that's why I came in here to talk to you. I wanted to see if you knew where they were. I have not seen them all day…and well, since you seem to speak to them sometimes, I thought that perhaps they came by your room today to take you to the Vatican library. I mean, you do seem to like it a lot…"

"No, I don't know where they are, and no, we did not go to the library, I woke up an hour ago."

"Y-You what? Wow…so early. That's rare."

Yuri bit down on his sandwich. Was it so amazing for him to wake up in normal hours of the day? Apparently this meant it was the end of the world in Esther's eyes. He could practically tell that's what she was thinking.

"How do you like the Vatican so far, Yuri?"

"It's nice…I guess. Not as good as Poland, but decent."

Esther smiled gently. "Do you like the AX? It seems you're getting along pretty well here. Then again, everyone is so kind and welcoming, you can't help but do well."

"I suppose. It's decent."

Esther giggled. "Is that your answer for everything, Yuri? That it's decent?"

Yuri chuckled lightly. "Yes, that's my answer for everything _here._"

Esther yawned and looked out the window. Her face showed contentment for a while, before confusion crossed her pretty features.

"Something wrong, Esther?" Yuri asked slowly.

"Abel and Leon are coming back…but they have someone with them. It looks like a boy…"

Yuri scoffed, returning to his sandwich. The Vatican was allowing little boys to become priests now? How desperate.

"I'll be right back, Yuri. I'm going to go see what's going on."

"Take your time," Yuri replied casually. He honestly did want her to take her time. That left more time for him to be alone.

Esther waved goodbye to him as she ran off, leaving the cafeteria as quickly as she was able.

Yuri waited until she was gone before looking out the window. He did not want her to think he was interested in whatever was going on. What he saw made him almost choke on his sandwich. "Ayden?"

What the hell was Ayden doing here? And better yet, why was he with Leon and Abel? Yuri sighed, slumping in his chair and staring at the ceiling. So much for solitude…

* * *

**_Author note: _**As you can see, Ayden has a foul mouth. Whew, it is pretty hard making up all these OCs without making them a super central part of the story. I don't like making so many of them, but alas, I have no choice. If only there were more cannon characters for Fleur du Mal that weren't dead or in jail... 

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! Tell me what you think.


	18. Interrogation: Part One

**_Review Reply Corner:_**

**_Shadow:_** Well, I got the name "Ayden" from my friend's little brother. xD I thought that name was simply adorible. The last name I got from a real noble family who lived in Turkey. Ayden's name means "enlightened," which is ironic in a way.

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_**Chapter Fourteen: Interrogation Part One**_

"Abel, Leon!" Esther screamed as she ran over to them. She had so many questions running through her head, that it was all she could think about. What happened to them? Leon and Abel looked as if they had been attacked, but why, and by who, for that matter? And who was that child with them?

She tripped, almost falling over. However, Leon caught her just in time.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down there, Esther. What's the problem?"

"W-What's the problem?! The problem is you and Abel are hurt! What happened to the both of you? Are you all right?" Esther grabbed Leon's arm, staring at the piece of torn cloth wrapped around his arm. "What---?"

"Shh! We'll talk about this inside, Esther," Abel whispered frantically as he looked around.

Esther pouted, but nodded. Abel was right. There was no a good place to talk about anything. "All right…"

"We're going to go see the Cardinal. If you want to hear what happened, tag along. You may learn something important, Esther." Leon pulled the small child forward gently and walked inside the church with Abel trailing behind him.

"Abel…" Esther said, stopping him in his tracks. "You're walking really slow…are you all right?"

Abel smiled gently. "I'm fine, Esther."

"But…"

"It's nothing to worry about." Abel's smile grew wider.

"Well…all right." She knew he was lying. Abel did that all the time when he wanted to. This time…was not any different. Though Esther did not want to show it, she was hurt.

Esther watched as Abel disappeared into the building, a feeling of sadness washing over her. She wanted to follow the two priests to see what had happened, but it was best if she went and told Yuri first so they could both go.

* * *

Caterina had just finished signing some papers for the church when Leon and Abel walked into the room, a small boy in their presence. 

She looked at the two quietly, glancing over at Father Havel. The man looked just as curious as she did, if not more.

"What happened to the both of you?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

Leon looked away, and Abel looked down at the floor in shame.

"Don't tell me you went and decided to become vigilantes." Caterina narrowed her blue eyes, glaring fiercely at the two. What had they done this time?

"Erm…you see…uh…we were attacked by a werewolf," Leon said finally.

"Attacked by a werewolf?" Caterina stood up so fast from her chair that it fell over. "Here? What is a werewolf doing here in Rome?"

"I…well…we don't know. Uh, this kid here might know. He's a vampire and a member of Fleur du Mal."

As if seeing the boy for the first time, Caterina looked down at him. As soon as her gaze landed on the child, he tensed up. "But…he's just a child."

"I'm not just a child!" the boy hissed. As quickly as he released his temper, he went back to being quiet. "I….my name is Ayden."

"Why hello, Ayden. My name is Caterina Sforza. I am the Duchess of Milan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Don't worry, you won't be mistreated as long as you're here, but you'll have to answer my questions. Understand?" Caterina said gently, though she still watched him curiously.

Ayden nodded reluctantly, his eyes glued to the floor.

"Is it true you are a vampire? If so, how is you can walk around in the day?"

"UV gel," Abel quickly replied before Ayden had a chance.

"UV gel?" Havel said. "Fleur du Mal can afford such a thing? One bottle of that is equivalent to a whole city. How can the organization afford that?"

"T-They…didn't. It belonged to my family."

Caterina nodded. "I see." Frowning, she turned her attention back to Leon and Abel. "Where did you two find this boy?"

"In an old building downtown," Abel said.

"And _how_ did you know to look there?"

Leon and Abel both winced as if they had been slapped.

"I received a letter in my room late last night from some anonymous person. They said there was going to be a meeting somewhere downtown. They even had directions. It wasn't particularly good, but it was good enough," Leon said, shifting slightly.

"I see. So, the both of you were wounded in the process, correct?"

"Yes, Your Eminence," they said in unison.

Sitting down, Caterina began to slowly stack her papers. Such fools! Running off on a dangerous mission without telling anyone was suicide! What if something had happened to them? The Agency was already lacking in membership. It would be nigh but impossible to get people as skilled as Leon and Abel.

"Where are you hurt?" she asked, her voice calm and even despite her rising temper.

"I got scratched on my arm, but I'm fine. Abel here got a few ribs broken though…"

Caterina clasped her hands together. "How are you feeling, Abel?"

"Uh…fine, Your Eminence."

"Liar. After this, I will have Havel escort you to the medical facility for a proper check up."

Sighing, Abel nodded in compliance.

Caterina rubbed her temples, turning her attention back on Ayden. "Ayden, why were you here in Rome?"

"I was supposed to meet someone…"

"And this someone is…?"

Ayden played with a ring on his finger. "He….he said his name was Isaak."

Havel gasped, looking over at Caterina. "Your Eminence…"

"Was this man's name Isaak Fernand von Kampher?" Caterina asked, ignoring Havel. She needed to know the answer.

"I…I don't know. He's a member of the Rosenkreuz Orden if that helps…"

Caterina sighed, rubbing her temples again. Too much stress in one day. She was going to need a lot of herbal tea before this day was over. "Yes, that's the Isaak I remember. Ayden, why were you meeting him?"

Ayden grew silent, slowly looking up at the ground so he held Caterina's gaze firmly. "I can't say."

"And why not?"

"I just can't. I don't want to die."

Caterina was taken aback by this one simple statement. He did not want to die? "You won't be killed if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh I know you won't kill me…" Ayden said, his eyes holding a determined glare to them. "But that doesn't mean anyone else won't."

"Ayden…no one will harm you while you're here," Abel said gently.

"No, you don't understand. I know that. I just don't want to be killed by---oh forget it. It's not important. Besides, I'll probably perish soon anyway. Miss Sforza, I hear you have a dragon here by the name of Yuri. Is that true?"

Caterina nodded. "Yes, it's true. Do you know him?"

"I do…"

Caterina watched him quietly once again, her mind working up a storm. Prehaps Yuri could get this child to talk? Caterina was above torture (unlike her brother), and most certainly did not want to pressure Ayden into talking. She kept trying to tell herself that he was a member of Fleur du Mal…or was at any rate. However, all she could see before her was a child. Even she could tell that's exactly what he was. His appearance meant nothing. It was the way he carried himself. Ion, though he looked like a young boy, was much older than he let on. Ayden however, was just a little kid.

"Father Havel, could you please go and get Yuri. And while you're in the area, please take Father Nightroad to the medical ward."

"M-Miss Caterina…"

Caterina ignored him, waiting for Havel's answer.

"Yes, Your Eminence. Come along, Father Nightroad." Havel bowed, leaving the room silently, and quickly.

Abel stared at Caterina like a dog about to be put to sleep. No matter how hard he tried, his pitiful look never worked.

Caterina had to fight back a smile when she heard him sigh, his feet stomping across the floor as he left.

* * *

Yuri was still sitting in his chair in the cafeteria trying to pretend as if he had not seen Ayden. Seeing that child brought back memories. Good ones, but memories involving the organization all the same. He wanted to break away from that. He wanted to erase everything that he once remembered about it. Sadly, that was impossible. His past was catching up to him. 

"You were right, mother. You reap what you sow. How annoying…" Yuri mumbled boredly. Yes, he was paying for all those things he did now…

"Yuuuuri!"

He winced. Dammit, Esther was back… "Hello, Esther. Did you see what you---."

"Something horrible has happened!"

Yuri blinked. Ok…that was a nice way to start a conversation. "Something…horrible has happened? Like what may I ask? Have Abel and Leon croaked?"

Esther gasped. "No how mean, Yuri! They're both hurt. I don't know what happened but it must have been serious."

Yuri looked at the crumbs on the table left by his sandwich. They were…hurt? What happened? No…no, he was not supposed to care. He was _not _supposed to care! "That's…too bad."

"Is that all you can say? Is that it's too bad? Yuri, they're wounded!"

Yuri bit his lip. What was he supposed to say? He…was not good at situations like this.

"Do…do you even care?" Esther whispered.

Yuri glared at her, offended by her question. He was not supposed to care…but he did despite himself. They were humans, and humans had short lives. But…but he did feel attached to these 'short-lived' people…if only a little. He would never say that to them, but he did care. "Of course I do you crazed girl. What do you want me to say? 'Oh no that's absolutely horrible'? Well, let me tell you something, Esther, I won't. I said that was too bad. What more do you want from me? Do you want me to break down in tears too? Once again, I _can't. _I just can't."

Esther looked like she was on the verge of tears. "How can you be so cold, Yuri?" she asked.

Yuri looked away. He was not cold…he just…could not show how he felt. Humans simply did not understand---they could never understand. Perhaps that's why his people did not fully get along with them. The Republic…that was just an illusion: a fool's dream. Dragons held the power, and the humans knew it. There would never be equality.

Esther stood waiting for an answer, but sighed when one was not coming her way. "I-I'm going to go and get some fresh air."

Yuri did not say anything.

With one more glance his direction, Esther ran off. Yuri was sure she was crying, but there was nothing he could do, nor nothing he could say to comfort her. He wished he could…he honestly did…

Sighing, Yuri looked up at the ceiling. Fleur du Mal was ruining his research time with all their foolish drama. And this Orden thing was just fanning the flames. Maybe…just maybe it was time for him to leave…

"Father Kostka, I've been looking for you all over the place."

Yuri snapped out of his reverie. "Father Havel…it's rare to see you in here. What can I do for you?"

Havel chuckled. "I could say the same for you, Yuri. I'm surprised you're up at this time. Anyway, moving on. Her Eminence wishes to see you. It's extremely important."

"Important, huh? What is it?" Yuri knew what it was. The Cardinal wanted him to talk to Ayden. Obviously the little vampire was being difficult.

"We've captured a member of Fleur du Mal. Her Eminence wishes for you to talk to him and see if you can prehaps get information out of him."

"I see. All right. I'll be there in a minute…"

Father Havel watched him with a small frown on his face. "Father Kostka…did you speak to Esther earlier?"

"I did."

"Ah…so you already know what happened to Father Nightroad and Father Garcia then."

"That is…correct."

Havel nodded, saying no more. With a bow, he left the room.

Yuri stared at the door for a minute, and then stood up. For once, he was starting to feel exhausted. He wondered if this was how Caterina felt everyday when she had to handle problems in the Vatican, or foreign issues. If so, he finally understood what it meant to have a position of importance. No wonder he had failed as a official…

_I understand now, Lucyna. I understand._


	19. Interrogation: Part Two

_**Chapter Fifteen: Interrogation Part Two**_

Ayden waited patiently for Yuri to appear. _You could have killed those priests, _he told himself. He could have easily ended their lives and had gone about his way…but he did not want to. He needed the priests for protection. They had "kindly" offered him sanctuary from Fleur du Mal. The Orden would not have helped him…he now saw that. If he had met Isaak, he would have been killed after giving him the information he wanted.

"Ayden, do you want to sit down?" Leon asked. It was weird seeing the man so civil. A few hours ago, the behemoth was barking questions at him left and right. Now, he was actually acting like a gentleman. _Weird, just weird._

Ayden shook his head. "No thank you, Father."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Ayden answered, still feeling a little uncomfortable with how nice Leon was apparently, trying to be to him.

"Ayden, do you know how many werewolves are in Fleur du Mal? This question has plagued me for the longest," Caterina said, instantly changing the topic from chairs to something of a more serious nature.

"Uh…there's three."

"Just three?" Leon said incredulously. "Are you serious? This isn't some joke is it, kid?"

"N-No. I wouldn't lie at a time like this. My life depends on what I tell you after all…"

"So there's only three…" Caterina's voice trailed off, her eyes glazing in thought as she looked out her window. "I thought there would be so much more…"

Ayden shifted slightly. He felt nervous with all this attention aimed in his direction.

"Ayden, uh…do you know why the vampires named Bernhardt and Cezar were murdered? Or…have you not heard of this?" Leon said, shifting the question elsewhere.

"Uh…I don't know what happened to those two. All I know was that they were killed. They had failed countless missions, so they were going to be done away with eventually. We do want to know who killed them though. Was it a werewolf?"

Leon nodded. "Yes, it was a werewolf."

"Hmm…weird," was all Ayden said. It _was_ weird. But it was not any of his concern. Who cared about who killed those two? They had been useless anyway.

The room suddenly went dead silent. Ayden could feel his heart constricting in panic as it continued to drag on. He never did like it when it got really quiet. It always made him nervous.

"May I ask what you did in the organization? You can tell us that much can't you?"

Ayden winced, slowly looking over at Caterina. She was still staring peacefully out the window. The question sounded harmless enough. "I mostly did medical things. However, I did study a bit about lost technology. I'm young, so I'm not savvy with it, but I'm good enough I suppose…"

"Really? So you've never killed a human?"

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where was this conversation going? Was Caterina trying to size him up?

"I…no. I've contributed to the death of Terrans, but I did not kill them myself if that is what you mean."

"Why? Why would you throw away so much, just out of hate and spite?"

Ayden had not thought about that. He had simply joined Fleur du Mal because he thought he could show the humans what their cruelty had led his people to do; form a syndicate against them. However, that…was not what he had seen. The whole organization was full of psychopaths and murderers. He had wanted to get out of it a long time ago after Yuri left. But…it was impossible. He simply could not leave, not with everyone watching each other carefully.

"No comment, Your Eminence."

Caterina sighed, gently pulling on a long, golden curl. "I see. Well, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Just then, Father Havel and Yuri walked into the room. As soon as he saw him, Ayden's eyes lit up with joy.

"Yuri!"

Yuri smiled weakly. "It's good to see you again. I'm glad to know you finally received some brains and got out of Fleur du Mal while you could."

"Uh…well, about that…" he trailed off, biting his bottom lip.

Yuri held a hand up. "Your Eminence, may I take Ayden to my room so I can properly speak to him?"

Ayden almost smacked himself in the forehead. He had completely forgotten about everyone in the room the moment Yuri appeared.

Caterina nodded wearily. "Yes you may. I'll be sending Tres with you. Yuri…"

He blinked, a small frown appearing on his face. Who was this Tres person? _So you're not trusted alone with me? Well, Caterina sure has some serious brains there._

"I'm sorry about having to cut your break so short..."

"It's no problem, Your Eminence. I had gotten bored anyway. Come along, Ayden. I have a lot of questions to ask you."

Ayden stood up to follow, glancing over his shoulder nervously at the strange human who had just stepped out of a dark corner of the room. The man looked intimidating. Something told Ayden that if he did anything stupid, this man would kill him in a second.

"Don't mind him," Yuri whispered. "He's not as bad as he looks. Just don't anything foolish and you should be all right."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Yuri." Honestly, he wouldn't. He did not avoid death that day only to have it come and smack him in the face.

It might have been Ayden's imagination, but he swore he saw Yuri glance at the priest named Leon with a worried expression. It was quick, and had instantly disappeared at soon as it appeared, but it had been there.

_Weird. Does Yuri actually care about the well being of a priest? _Nonsense. Yuri hated the Vatican…right?

* * *

"All right, explain from the beginning." 

Ayden sighed, lying back on Yuri's bed. Geez, no rest? He's been at edge all day, but apparently Yuri did not care. He was straight to the point as always. "What exactly do you want know?"

"What made you leave the organization?" he said, closing the curtains in his room so it was darker. Ayden almost thanked him for his kindness. Though the UV gel did protect him fron the sun's rays, that did not mean it did not hurt his eyes a little.

"I hated it. Everyone's lost it, I swear. I can't take it anymore! There's no glory in such a group. They're all animals."

"I could have told you that," Yuri replied sarcastically. He crossed the room in long, languid strides, sitting in a chair near the door.

_He's probably sitting over there in case I do something…_

Ayden frowned. "So that explains why I left. I got cold-feet I suppose you could say." He yawned. "Yuri, is that weird human still standing outside the door?"

"Correct. Tres won't move unless ordered to by Caterina, or unless we're done. So, let's make this quick so we can go about our normal business."

"Normal business? For you maybe, but I'm probably going to be put in jail."

"More than likely."

"Whaaaa?! You don't care?" Ayden growled, sitting up.

Yuri shrugged.

"What do you mean you don't know? It's a yes or no answer."

"Moving on. Why were you brought here? If you wanted sanctuary or something, you could have just asked."

"Oh yes, let's just go ask the Vatican. They'll help a small, poor, defenseless vampire in need."

"Defenseless? Pssh. You could kill a pretty good share of humans if you wanted."

Ayden stuck his tongue out at him. It was childish, but right now, he wanted to act that way.

Ignoring Ayden's attempt at being rude, Yuri continued. "Answer the question seriously, Ayden. This may save your life."

_All business as usual…_ "I was caught in the middle of a meeting with a member of the Rosenkreuz Orden."

"Exactly why were you talking to a member of the Orden? And what did you hope to accomplish?"

"I just wanted them to help me get out of Fleur du Mal. They said they would if I would just tell them what the organization was up to…so I did."

"And you trusted them?"

Ayden looked away. Yuri sounded more like he was admonishing him than questioning him.

Without waiting for an answer, the dragon began again. "And what is it up to?"

"Well…Fleur du Mal is…" Ayden hesitated.

"Is what? Hurry up."

Ayden bit his lip. Yuri may have changed, but his patience was still close to nonexistent. Pushing Yuri's buttons was not a wise thing to do. He still seemed to have a temper, though he was much calmer than he used to be. "They're making a weapon based off old technology."

Yuri's eyes widened a bit. If Ayden had not been a Methuselah, the look would have been completely lost to him in the darkness of the room. "What?"

"I said---."

"I heard you," he drawled. "Why would they do this? To attack the Vatican? Wait…or…" Yuri looked at Ayden tiredly. "They're planning on getting rid of the Orden aren't they?"

"Yes…that's exactly what they're planning. Once the Orden is done away with, they plan on using it to take out the Vatican."

"Pssh, fools."

"I---I don't know what they hope to accomplish. There's no way they can defeat the Orden as long as they have that _monster_ for a leader."

"Who is the leader?" Yuri asked curiously. His vocal tone had not changed from apathetic, but even Ayden could sense that he was interested.

Ayden stared at him for a minute before looking away. So, not even Yuri had been updated on anything involving the Orden. How…sad. "I don't know his name exactly. All I know is that he is called Contra Mundi or Mein Herr. His real name is a mystery to us. Maybe the Vatican knows? Then again, you could ask your leader. I'm sure she'll know."

Yuri shook his head. "Lucyna won't tell me anything. This is apart of my punishment…"

"Yuri…" Ayden began softly, but was interrupted.

"We're moving off subject. Exactly what is the leader? Is he a Methuselah?"

"Are you mad? Of course not! He's…he's just him. We don't know what he is. All we know is that he eats Methuselah."

"He what?" Yuri stood up from his chair, staring at Ayden as if he was some strange mythical creature.

"He _eats_ Methuselah. Well, not literally. He drains them much like my people drain Terrans."

"I-Impossible…there's no such being…"

Ayden watched Yuri calmly as he saw the young dragon's emotional wall begin to break down. For once, he showed an emotion Ayden had not seen from him in a long time; fear.

"That's not possible…it's not…" Yuri began to pace around the room. "There's no such creature." He stopped glaring coldly at Ayden as if he had said some type of lie.

"It's true. I'm not making it up."

In less than four long strides, Yuri was in front of Ayden. As quickly as a snake strikes, he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, lifting him easily off the bed. Cringing, Ayden could feel his heart beating quickly when his face was brought close to his.

"You're not pulling my leg are you? If you are, you won't get any sympathy from me when the Vatican decides to kill you."

"N-No! You're my ally, Yuri! I would never lie to you. You're the only one here I can call a comrade."

Yuri's eyes softened. Without another word, he set the little vampire back down on the bed. "Forgive me. I got a little carried away…"

"It's ok…" Ayden said gently. Yuri was the only one he truly cared about. Though they had not spoken much in the organization, he felt like he understood him. Yuri was comforting to be around, despite his peculiar personality. Though his tongue was sharp, his heart was kind. It was amazing that the other members had not noticed it before…

"Moving on once again. Who attacked Father Abel and Father Leon? Surely you know that."

"You won't believe me when I tell you."

"Try me."

"Ashton."

Yuri's frown deepened as he crossed his arms. "Ashton? Why would the organization send him? He's a weak werewolf. Young and stupid too."

Ayden frowned. "Weak? He almost tore me apart! If you think that's weak, I'd hate to see what you think strong is. Besides, you don't need brains to be an assassin. You just kill. There's not much thinking involved…"

Yuri rubbed his chin, his eyes glued on the floor. What was he thinking about? Ayden wished he could ask…but that did not seem like a good idea. When Yuri was thinking, it was best to wait until he spoke again. Breaking his concentration often brought about his wrath. Then again, he had changed quite a bit in the last fifteen years."

"I have one more question, Ayden. This question has nothing to do with what you have told me."

"Oh? All right. What is it? It must be pretty serious if you're asking me."

"Not really. It's…more out of curosity than anything. Have you ever heard the word 'Crusnik'?"

Crusnik? That word sounded familiar... "I've heard of it, but I don't remember what it is. Sorry, Yuri."

"Ah…I see. Well then, I think I've gotten all the questions Miss Caterina wanted from you." He turned around so his back was facing Ayden.

"Are you all going to feed me? I'm quite starved you know. Thirsty too…"

"I'm sure Miss Caterina has something prepared for you."

Ayden sighed. That was good. He _was _starved. Getting to Rome to meet Isaak had been difficult as well as dangerous. It had been nearly a week since he had last eaten…

"Yuri…do you think…that man will hear about this? The one who hates Methuselah?"

"That…man?" Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Francesco?"

"Uh…yeah, sure."

"More than likely. It's sort of hard to cover this up. I mean, you _are _a Methuselah in a church. The _Main_ church. That's blasphemy right there."

"Ah…so there's no hope for me then?"

"Nonsense. Caterina will figure something out. Who knows? He might not find out. I've yet to see or hear from him, so…I guess that's a good sign."

Ayden did not say it, but he did not believe Yuri. Chances of his survival were slim. Surely the young man had known that? He was always thinking logically after all. Anyone with half a brain would know that eventually, Ayden would be discovered. There was just no avoiding it. When had Yuri become so optimistic? Those priests probably corrupted him…

"Yuri, can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead. I think you deserve the chance do to that."

Ayden felt his heart swell with pride. He had pleased Yuri! That was good, very good. Having the dragon on his side might actually help him. "Do you like the Vatican?"

"They're decent," was the only answer he received. Strangely enough, that was all he wanted to know.

* * *

_**Author note: **_I…uh…don't really have anything to say about this chapter. xD Review? 


	20. Information: Ancient Technology

_**Information: Part Five "Ancient Technology"**_

Ancient technology has been strictly guarded by many countries. It would not due for an enemy nation to gain too much of it. Then again, figuring out what half the ancient technology does if taking longer than expected.

Ancient technology is a term used for items such as computers, ect. Anything that was used before Pre-Armageddon has been put into this category. Some ancient technology is useful, and some just seems to be taking up space. Regardless, if half the dangerous technology was used for warfare, the battle between the Methuselah and the Vatican would be extremely bloody.

Both do not wish for this, but that does not mean they will not use such weaponry if given a chance. Due to this, the more dangerous technology is usually sealed away so lesser Methuselah not close to Augusta's ideals, and zealot priests do not try and take things into their own hands.

* * *

**_Author note: _**Whew, it is getting more and more difficult to come up with information. However, the challenge is fun so I'll continue wracking my brain.


	21. The Woes Of Werewolves

**_Shadow:_** My goodness you have been such a great support! Thank you for hanging with me for so long!

**_Soupcan:_** Why hello there new reviewer. I've already replied to you via email so...um...thanks for reading. xD

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter Sixteen: The Woes Of Werewolves**_

Ashton limped, growling angrily as he tried to find where the Fleur du Mal base was. How dare that human harm him?! That measly human! What was he going to tell his boss? That he was beaten by a Vatican priest? They would kill him for sure!

_Calm down, Ash. It's nothing. You're needed. They can't kill you or they'll run out of important power over the priests…yes, they need werewolves, _Ashton thought to himself in an urge to calm himself down.

That brat, Ayden, had ruined everything. Ashton may not get killed, but he was most certainly going to get punished.

He growled again, leaning against a wall and holding his bleeding side. His blood would attract attention. It would be unwise to wander back to the boss in this condition.

"I'll just have to find somewhere where I can disappear for a while…" he said to himself as he looked up at the sky. Rain was going to come soon. That was good. If it rained, his blood trail would disappear.

"You'll pay for this, Ayden. I swear it…"

* * *

Yuri almost smiled when Abel looked at him with a shocked expression on his face when he entered the medical room. There was always something about that look that made Yuri want to chuckle.

"What are you doing here, Yuri?" Abel asked, still in shock.

"Checking up on you, of course. How is it a veteran of AX can fall for so simple a trap? That's somewhat depressing if you ask me."

Abel chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah well…it was mainly Leon's idea. I just sort of went along."

"There is no sort of. You either agree or disagree. In this case, you agreed." Yuri walked over to Abel's bed, watching him boredly. The priest did not seem to be in that bad of condition. Esther had made it sound like he was going to die or something.

"Uh…Yuri…"

"What is it?"

"Hmm…nothing."

Yuri crossed his arms and shook his head. Abel always did this. Usually Yuri would pry, but not today. Today was different. He was in no mood for an argument, or a pointless discussion. "So, where are you hurt? And where's your nurse?"

"One question at a time, Yuri! My nurse stepped out for a bit. She should be back soon…and uh…I cracked a few ribs. I'll be fine though."

"I bet," Yuri replied sarcastically as he scanned the room. For the life of him, he could not understand why humans were so attached to the color white. It was dull. Humans he had met told him that the color was supposed to be soothing, but he honestly could not see how. If anything, the color only made him recognize just how bland and empty the infirmary was.

"Something wrong?" Abel said, breaking him out of his reverie.

"No. I was just noticing how creepy it is in here." Abel opened his mouth, but Yuri spoke again before he could utter a retort. "Did Esther come by? She was quite upset the last time I saw her."

Abel sighed, laying his head against his propped up pillow. "Yes she did. The nurse had to calm her down. I think that's why the nurse isn't here…"

"Hmph…figures. Human women are so emotional…" For once, Abel did not say anything back.

"Yuri…aren't you nervous about Fleur du Mal? It seems they're somewhere in Rome."

"Eh? No, not really. They're all a bunch of idiots for the most part. The only smart one was Ayden."

"But---."

"Besides," Yuri continued, "it's probably a weaker branch that's here."

"A…branch? You mean the organization isn't a great big body?"

Yuri slowly turned his gaze back over to Abel, frowning slightly. What sort of question was that? Of course it was not some huge organization. It was split into small factions that did whatever they pleased. "Each one has a leader, but it's sorta like a crime syndicate I suppose you could say. Each group has a crime boss, and each boss has little minions. It's not as organized as you think."

Abel seemed to contemplate this information. Yuri watched him patiently before boredom set in and he was forced to look away. "I just came in here to check on you. If you were incapacitated then that would have been a shame, especially when I was just starting to get used to you."

"Y-Yuri…does that mean we're friends?" Abel sounded so hopeful that Yuri could not bring it upon himself to crush his spirit.

"Think whatever you please." Oddly enough, that just made Abel smile wider.

Yuri stared at him quietly. Abel Nightroad…was a strange, strange individual. He had told himself this countless times, but each time he spoke to the priest, he could not help but repeat that to himself. He did not think for long before the nurse came back in, smiling widely.

"Ah, seems you have another visitor, Abel. My you're quite popular."

Abel smiled, waving his hands. "I guess so."

The nurse was a small woman of no more than five feet with dark brown hair and gentle brown eyes. She did not look like much, but Yuri had a feeling she was made of tougher stuff than she looked.

"You must be the new priest under the AX."

"Sort of."

"Ah, I see." The nurse smiled, bowing slightly. "Well then, welcome to the Vatican. I know it may not seem like we welcome you much, but we do. We're very glad to have you."

Yuri nodded slowly. Ok, this was odd…but it was not unwanted either. It was nice for someone to recognize him instead of ignoring him…not that he was being ignored before, but no one had really welcomed him…minus AX, but that was different.

Without another word, the small nurse walked over to Abel and handed him a small cup of water. "You need to rest, Abel. You won't be leaving here until tomorrow, so until then, you might as well get yourself comfortable."

_Until tomorrow? What the hell? Don't humans need more recovery time than that? _This was more than odd. Shaking his head, he turned and began to leave. Whatever conversation that went on between the nurse and Abel was none of his business…though what she had said was bothering him. Broken ribs were lethal to humans if they weren't careful…so wouldn't it take much longer for those ribs to heal than two days, especially after being attacked by a werewolf? Yuri know by experience that it took longer to heal after being hit by one of those monsters.

"Aww, you're leaving, Yuri?"

Yuri sighed. "Yes. I simply came to see if you were breathing. Now that that's done, it's time for me to go."

"Ah, I see, very well then. See you tomorrow, Yuri," Abel's cheerful voice answered.

Yuri glanced over his shoulder with a small frown, but it slowly melted away until a half-smile before he left the room.

As soon as he left, his gaze landed on Esther who stood in front of the door. She smiled softly at him, as if giving him a silent apology. He did not know why…then again, perhaps he just could not comprehend why.

"Can I help you?" he said without meaning to sound harsh…but in evidently ended up sounding that way. Thankfully, Esther had been around him long enough to know he did not mean it to sound that way. At least humans were smart enough to catch on.

"I'm just here to speak to Abel, that's all. I needed to calm down earlier…and uh…well, I had a feeling you would be here."

Yuri sighed, closing his eyes. Esther was going to say an annoying apology. However, he was not going to let the happen. He did not deserve it after all. With a slight nod of his head, he walked past her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

If it had not been so deathly quiet in the hallway, Yuri was sure he would not have heard it. He did not acknowledge the girl's words, but just kept walking as if nothing had happened.

_I still don't understand you crazy people, _he thought, though it was a bit fondly now.

* * *

Deon yawned, leaning back against a building. Things seemed to be going smoothly. That much was good. To tell the truth, he was somewhat afraid that someone from the Orden would find out about his involvement in all these…uh…problems. If they did find out…he was sure they would mess with his mind. They seemed to like doing that.

"Ah, so here's where you are," a smooth voice said, interrupting his thoughts and making him instantly tense up.

He did not have to turn his head to see who had spoken to him. That much was obvious from the tone of the voice; playful, yet dangerous. "Hello, Dietrich. Uh…is something the matter?"

Dietrich was wearing a scarf and a heavy coat to match the freezing weather. Even wearing normal common clothes, he still had an aura about him that drew people's gazes towards their direction…something that annoyed Deon to no end. It made him feel self conscious.

Chuckling, Dietrich ran a hand through Deon's messy hair, almost possessively. It did not amaze the werewolf. He was a toy, a new toy that could easily be broken with the flick of his wrist. Deon had to admit that the man was handsome, but he did not want a demon such as himself touching him. It was almost as if he could see his hand turning into a clawed talon, reeking blood and death. "Now, what ever are you doing here, Deon? I surely don't remember Mein Herr ever saying you should be near the Vatican Church."

"I was bored. Well, in all honesty, I really wanted to see this 'Yuri' person that Isaak has taken a liking to. Too bad though. After all that drama with that stupid werewolf from Fleur du Mal, I have not been able to do so." Well, that was a flat out lie…but he honestly hoped Dietrich would not catch on. If he did…Deon was sure that he would be killed without a second thought.

Dietrich's hand stopped his annoying caressing and a frown slowly crossed his face; well it was more a pout, but Deon knew he was not happy. "Yes, that werewolf has botched up our plans a little."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, I didn't see a reason to do that. It would have been a waste of time. Plus, today, I'm too tired to play with 'broken' toys."

Deon fought back a audible gulp. He did not want to imagine what that werewolf would have gone through if Dietrich was in 'playful' mode. "The Vatican probably caught on to the plan now that they've captured that big mouth, Ayden."

"More than likely. However, that makes the game more exciting. Now that the Vatican knows what Fleur du Mal is up to, they'll be paying more attention to them. Ah…those vampires are such fools."

"I see. Let's just hope those idiots can keep the Vatican running around then. I honestly don't want to have to deal with them every two seconds."

Dietrich laughed, and Deon almost jumped out of his skin. It was always a fifty percent chance that the man's laugh was either good or bad. Hesitantly, he glanced in his direction.

"Ah, relax, Deon. You've been very good to our cause so far. I'm not going to harm you."

_Liar, _Deon thought fearfully. _You just want me to drop my guard, but I'm not going to do it._

Dietrich yawned, looking up at the sky. "It's going to rain today. It seems God is going to cry. I suppose that's a good sign, don't you agree?"

"Of course…" Deon replied slowly. _Just go away, Dietrich. Just go away._

Dietrich smiled that usual cruel smile of his before turning and walking away. "Hurry up and head back to your apartment. You're going to need ample rest for tomorrow."

"Are you going to be staying in Rome?" Deon heard Dietrich stop.

"Afraid not my dear, Deon. I'm needed elsewhere. Don't worry though. Isaak will take good care of you."

_Well…at least Isaak seems more human, I guess. Still…it's not comforting to know that they don't trust me enough to leave me alone. _"All right…"

Dietrich chuckled, and began to walk away once again. Deon did not watch him leave, that would have only put him at ease, which was something that he did not need to be. If he was at ease, he would let something slip and that would be the death of him.

_You're falling apart, Deon. Calm down. If you don't, you die. Just calm down…_

Lighting a cigarette, he gently put it to his lips and took a deep breath. He was supposed to meet an emissary of Lucyna to give them a bit more information on what was going on…but today was not the best day to do that. Dietrich's appearance told him that the Contra Mundi, or Mein Herr, as he was affectionately called, was keeping on eye on him.

"You got it easy, Yuri…" he mumbled, as he watched the clouds dance in the sky…feeling that his time would soon be up and he would never ever see them again.

* * *

Yuri shivered slightly as he walked towards Caterina's office. He felt like someone was thinking about him, or watching him for that matter. It was an uncomfortable feeling, one that made him want to go and hide in a closet somewhere…but seeing as to he was claustrophobic, that would not have been the wisest of ideas.

Stopping in front of her office door, he gently knocked.

"Come in."

Gathering his wits, Yuri quickly stepped into the room. He had wasted enough time stopping by to check on Abel. As usual, Caterina was sitting at the head of her desk with a stack of papers that needed her attention, with Tres and Havel standing by her side like over present guards.

Yuri looked around, noticing that Leon was no longer present. _Hmph…he probably left to go and cause trouble at the infirmary._

"What did you find out, Yuri?" Caterina said, cutting his thoughts off.

"Not much, Miss Caterina. However, you may not like what I say."

Caterina sighed, whispering something to Havel. The man smiled and shook his head before leaving the room. Yuri watched him with mild interest, wondering where he was off to. As if reading his mind, Caterina answered. "He's going to go and get me some tea. I feel I'm going to need it."

"Ah…I see…Uh, well then, should I begin?"

Caterina nodded.

"Well, it would seem Fleur du Mal is planning on making some weapon to take out the Orden."

Caterina was silent for a while, her face completely unreadable before a long, tired sigh came from her lips. "They're…making a weapon?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"How far are they in its production?"

"I…uh…did not ask. The thought never crossed my mind. Forgive me."

Caterina shook her head. "No, it's quite all right. I'm sure Ayden is not going anywhere."

Yuri coughed slightly. "Yes, of course. Uh…according to Ayden, the Orden has found out about this. The two groups may end up fighting each other eventually."

"That's good. They'll destroy each other and we'll clean up the rest…but I doubt it will be that simple. If only it was…" Caterina rubbed her temples. For once, Yuri noticed that despite her young age, she appeared at the time to be much older than she really was. He felt uncharacteristic sympathy welling up inside him.

"If the two groups end up fighting, many civilians may become involved in the chaos they two will undoubtedly spread. Also, Fleur du Mal will, more than likely, fall. If the Orden gets their hands on this weapon…"

"They'll use it on us, The Empire, and The Republic…"

Yuri nodded stiffly.

Silence soon spread throughout the room. Unsure of what to do, Yuri waited until he was either dismissed or until Caterina said something to spur the discussion further. Thankfully, at the time Father Havel decided to come back in with a steaming cup of tea.

Caterina gratefully took it, sipping it almost inaudibly. Soon she set the mug back down and sighed, clasping her hands back together. "Anything else, Yuri?"

"Hmm…" Yuri looked away, unsure if telling Caterina about the strange creature the Orden had for a leader was a good idea. Chances were the woman already knew that…after all, the AX agency had been established to handle that group. "No, that's all."

Caterina tugged on a golden lock of her hair, turning his gaze back towards Yuri. "You are dismissed, Yuri. If I need you later, I'll be sure to send for you."

A bit muffed about simply being 'sent' away, Yuri turned and began to leave. This was pointless. If the Cardinal was going to send him away after only ten minutes of talking, then he would have simply sent a message to her saying what was going on. This whole walk from his room to her office seemed absolutely pointless.

"Thank you for your assistance, Yuri. You have been more help than you know."

_I bet,_ he thought in annoyance, repeating what he had said to Abel earlier. "I'm glad I could be of some type of help."

He did not see the small, thoughtful frown that crossed Caterina's lips as he left the room, not really caring what went on in her mind. Sleep was what he wanted, and that was what he was going to have. Even if Caterina did send for him later, he would decline. He was not her servant, thus did not have to answer to her every beck and call.

_Why can't I have a normal day to sleep? _

That thought plagued him, as well as only succeeded in making him angrier.

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_**Author note: **_My God, making all these Oc's is proving to be difficult. xD I absolutely hate having to do it, but alas, if only there were cannon characters for Fleur du Mal who weren't dead or in jail, then I wouldn't have to do all this.

As you can see, Yuri is getting annoyed with the way the Vatican is doing things. I hope this doesn't end in disaster! –dun dun dun-

Oh and yes, Dietrich is here. My friend nearly had a heart attack when she read it. It's not hard writing Dietrich. After reading the manga, you can see just how utterly sadistic the bishounen is. Anyway, sorry for making you guys read this long, probably pointless author note. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Oops, I almost forgot. From now on (until otherwise) I'll be updating every Sunday. It's sorta like a deadline for me so I won't get sidetracked away from the fanfic, and so I can continue to update regurally.

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	22. Persistance

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Shadow: **Waaah, I couldn't update Sunday, but...here's the story! xD

**Adrienne: **He'll get whoosy and grr eventually. Hmm...I'm not sure what chapter it is, but it's coming up.

**Soupcan: **LoL. If I don't update regurally, I won't be able to keep myself from getting bored and sidetracked. It's hard enough working on my novel without any type of person drilling me ond when to complete a chapter. So, I've set a deadline for myself so I can actually work. xD And yes, the AX agency, even to me, is a little odd. They do things in such peculiar ways.

**Cruznik: **I answered all your questions via email, but...well...here goes anyway! I'm going to go get the third volume eventually. I hear it has cute little Ion in it. That's a good enough reason for me to go get it. Well, Ion and Radu...but he dies! **-sniffles-**

Well, that's the end of the reply cornor. Sorry for not updating this yesterday, but well...as you all know, or might not know, was having some issues. However! **-points towards the sky-** the story is here today! Hurray!

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_**Chapter Seventeen: Persistence**_

Four days had passed since the drama with the 'werewolf.' The weather had not gotten better, including Yuri's mood. Being trapped inside the Church for days had only made him feel more like a caged animal.

Boredly, Yuri nibbled on a spoonful of lemon meringue pie as he turned his attention back to the newspaper Tres had kindly gotten for him. Yuri could not understand how humans could waste their time reading nonsense in the newspaper. All he had read so far was information over the lives of famous people, and silly things like how a lady finally found her long lost dog after a year. It was pointless information, but he had to admit it was very entertaining. A few of the things he read actually made him chuckle at their absurdity.

Sitting his spoon down, he glanced over at Tres who was being a silent sentinel near a window in the cafeteria. The android confused him. He said he was a machine without feelings, and yet, Yuri could almost feel like the man _did _in fact have some type of feelings locked away inside him. He may not have acknowledged it, but it was there.

"Am I so bored that my thoughts are switching to random topics?" he mumbled to himself as he tapped his fingers on the table. Lately, he had been unable to think of one thing without something else popping into his mind. He hoped that was not a sign that he was losing it. That would have made things a little…difficult.

"Tres, are you sure I cannot go outside?"

"Affirmative. Going outside in this weather would not be a good idea."

"But it's just a little rain. Last time I checked, humans had invented something called an 'umbrella' to shield themselves from the rain," Yuri replied casually, though the venom of his words was still there.

"Positive, there are umbrellas that could shield you. However, Lady Caterina does not want you going outside in this weather. It is raining quite hard."

Yuri sighed in annoyance, tapping his fingers against the table faster. For once he yearned to be outside. Anything would be better than constantly having to read everyday. As much as he loved doing that, it had begun to lose its initial charm over the past month. Now, he did it more out of routine to keep his mind sharp than anything else.

"I don't care. I want to go outside, Dammit!" Yuri snarled, slamming his hand on the table. This was just too much! If Caterina did not think he was strong enough to do anything on his own, then she was sorely mistaken!

"Negative."

"Dammit, Tres!" Yuri was about to shout more obscenities at him, but the sound of the double doors of the cafeteria opening stopped him.

"Good morning, Yuri! It's a pretty dark and dreary day today," Abel said happily as he walked over to Yuri's table.

Yuri watched him suspiciously. Ever since Abel got out of the infirmary in 'record time,' Yuri had been keeping an eye on him whenever he was able. The man was not human, that much was obvious.

"Yes, it is a dark and dreary day, which makes this morning, not good."

"Ah…well, yes, you do have a point." Abel yawned again, sitting down across from Yuri, and eyeing his lemon meringue pie like a starved animal.

"I suppose this day would not be so bad if Tres would allow me to go outside," Yuri said, raising the volume of his voice slightly as if to catch the man's attention.

Tres was silent however. He had grown used to Yuri to such a point that his words usually were ignored unless they were important. Tres must have assumed this was not.

Abel frowned. "Eh? Yuri you know you can't go outside in this weather. It's been raining for two days straight. Besides, the rain here in Rome is hard and unforgiving. You'd be pummeled into the ground."

Yuri glanced out the window. Pummeled into the ground? It was not even raining that hard. If anything it was almost a soft trickle._ You're lying. I have no idea why you all deem it necessary to keep me inside, but it's pissing me off,_ he thought furiously, though his face remained stoic. "I can wing it." Just then, it hit him. They were keeping him inside out of fear of him getting captured by Fleur du Mal, or, heave forbid, the Orden.

"Yuri…it wouldn't be a good idea."

"Says the man who is constantly standing outside in the rain," Yuri replied. He saw Abel smile widely. "I'm bored staying in here. I want something to do…but apparently Caterina thinks I need rest…for the six thousandth time…"

"Read a book, Yuri."

Yuri slowly looked over at Abel, sliding the rest of his pie towards the man. Abel stared at him with awe and adoration before grabbing his spoon and digging in. It disturbed Yuri how the man could just use an already used spoon without feeling disgusted, but alas, this was Abel he was talking about. "I would, if my eyes weren't hurting from over reading, Abel. Besides, that gets old really fast."

"Says the man who always wants to go to the library," Abel replied softly, flinging Yuri's words straight back at him.

Yuri glared at him for a second, and then looked away, his eyes landing on Tres' back. "This is honestly boring, Abel."

Abel sighed. "I know, Yuri, I know. But you have to stay here…"

Yuri sighed, his eyes drooping. It would just be better to go back to his room and sleep the day away. That was the only desirable thing to do right now.

"Yuri…ah…I've noticed as of late you seem to be getting tired quicker. Also, you don't seem very happy…not that it was easy to tell before but…" Abel trailed off like he usually does; leaving Yuri to try and figure out what he was going to say next.

"I'm fine, Abel."

"No you're not. I bet you're overworking and stressing yourself out."

"I'm fine, Abel," Yuri repeated a bit more forceful this time. Of course Abel had the stubbornness that would put a mule to shame, so he should have known that the man would not back down.

"No you're not. Tell me what's bothering you. Maybe I can help."

"Lies. You can't even help yourself, so how do you propose to help me?"

Abel cleaned his plate of the lemon pie, looking up at Yuri tiredly. "I…don't know."

Yuri was silent, still refusing to look at the priest. What did the man want from him? Why did Abel always go out of his way to talk to him? Why? _Why? _

"Anyway, it seems something is bothering you. You just answered my question, though I'm sure you did mean to."

Not able to suppress a smile, Yuri shook his head. Only Abel could read him this well. The man was craftier than he let on. "It's nothing really…"

Abel was quiet, and Yuri was sure he was watching him intently. "If it's nothing, then can't you tell me?"

"No. It's my pride that's keeping me from saying anything. Please respect my wish, Abel."

"All right, Yuri. I understand."

Yuri smiled wider. He wanted to thank Abel, but thought better of it. That would probably make the man fall out of his chair in shock. As much as that was tempting to make the man do, he was too tired to really relish in it. "So, what's bothering you?"

"Many things."

"Eh?" Yuri turned so he could properly address the priest. He had not expected the man to answer. "And what would these 'things' be?"

"Exhaustion, stress, you name it. I'm nervous about what Fleur du Mal's weapon is…and well, many other things that would take a while to explain."

"Ah…well, it seems we have all morning…"

Abel smiled. "It would seem so…"

Yuri closed his eyes and patiently listened to what he had to say. At least that was the least he could do. Besides, it would take a part of his boredom away…though he was sure that was not the real reason he was listening to Abel's tale. However, he liked to believe that, if only to keep his pride in stake.

* * *

_**Author note: **_A short chapter, ne? Yes, I know. I thought Yuri and everyone else needed a little downtime. I mean honestly, I'm not so cruel as to shoot action after action at the characters in this fic. xD Personally, I don't much like this chapter... 

Anyway what you guys think, and be honest. xD


	23. The Spy Deon Peterson Files

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Soupcan - **LoL. I know that chapter was 'blah.' I created it out of sheer laziness, and apologize for it. xD This chapter is fairly better. Yuri's not in it much but well...oh well.

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_**Chapter Eighteen: The Spy- Deon Peterson Files**_

Deon was nervous lately. He was terrified that the Orden would discover he was a spy, and like they had done many others, torture him until he begged for death. He was amazed that he had survived thus far. This had to be the most dangerous job he had done in years. One slip up, no matter how minor, would catch the attention of those above him, which was something he tried his absolute best to avoid.

Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he lifted his head off his pillow, glancing over towards his stand. A letter sat there as usual. Probably another one from the Orden telling him what he needed to do that day. Instantly, he was fully awake.

"What am I to do today?" he mumbled, slicing the letter open with a dagger he kept under his pillow. With a sigh he began to read it.

_Dear Deon,_

_It seems you're going to have to work a little harder. Mien Herr is pleased with your devotion thus far, but he wishes you would be a little more…active in it._

Deon gulped. The hell was that supposed to mean? 'A little more active'? Had he not been active before? Shaking his head he continued reading it.

_There is a spy from the Republic wandering about. It would please him if you could see what she is up to. If the dragon proves to be a problem to us, you are ordered to kill her. Of course due to your overwhelming loyalty, that should not be too difficult, am I correct?_

_Your darling friend, Dietrich __♥_

Deon read the letter again, trying to make sure he read it right. When he was done, he sighed, shaking his head. Killing a spy from Lucyna was foolish. She would cut his contract as well as kill him for his betrayal if she ever found out. However, he did not see any other way out of this…unless this was a test. Dietrich liked to play games with new members in the Orden, mainly because they were 'green.'

"What the hell am I going to do?" Deon whispered, holding his head in his hands and closing his eyes, wishing he could just fade away.

"Wait, relax, Deon. Dietrich said IF she proves to be a problem. As long as that dragon doesn't do anything stupid, all is well. I'll prove my loyalty without violence…" Yes, that would work…that is if God was being kind to him today. For some reason, he doubted God was on his side.

From what he had gathered, Julianna, as the spy was called, was just a fledgling dragon. It was stupid for Lucyna to send such a youngster on a mission as dire as this, but Deon had no complaint. If Julianna had been older, Deon would be dead right now.

* * *

It was a godsend that Julianna did not move about like lightning. It was odd for a spy to stay in one place for too long. After all, someone would eventually catch on to the fact that they were, in fact, a spy. However, Julianna did not seem to care much about that…which made Deon question rather she really was a spy. 

"I'll have some black tea," she said, smiling kindly at the waiter.

"Very well," he replied, blushing furiously as he went back inside the café.

Yawning, Julianna picked up a newspaper lying on her table, and began to read.

"What are you up to, dragon?" Deon whispered, eyeing her boredly. Julianna was much too calm for his liking. It was starting to make him nervous.

Soon the waiter came back, smiling and handing her a steaming cup of tea. "We decided to give you your favorite cup. I thought you would like it."

"Aw, thank you very much, Basilio. Keep this up and I'll probably end up tipping you more than I usually do." She chuckled.

Basilio blushed more, if that was even possible. "T-Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate it."

Julianna waved goodbye to him as he returned to his duties elsewhere, leaving her alone at her table.

Deon sipped his tea, continuing his observation. So far, nothing had happened. He knew that an hour had passed since he began watching Julianna at what appeared to be her usual table. She had not met with anyone, which made Deon wonder if she was even the spy he was supposed to be looking for. She was a dragon. His nose told him that much. But she did not look like spy material.

He thought his question was soon answered when two priests began to walk towards the café. Julianna looked up as if sensing them, and tensed visibly. Deon frowned. What the hell was that all about?

"Yuri, this seems like a decent place to stop and get refreshments. I hear the coffee and the tea here are incredible," said a priest with long golden hair.

_Yuri? Yuri's here too? How ironic. Two dragons in one place._

"Yes, I've been here before. I did not get a chance to have some tea here due to…erm…circumstances. However, Tres said this place has good ratings so…"

The golden haired priest nodded. "Yes, the ratings are quite high."

The two priests began talking about the weather, and that was where Deon drew the line, shutting them out. He did not care if the weather was great. All he wanted to do was see what that strange dragon woman was up to.

Julianna made herself as unnoticeable as possible, casually sipping her tea, and reading the newspaper as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Her plan worked. Yuri and the golden haired priest walked past her as if she was not even there.

Deon titled his head slightly. So Lucyna did not even want Yuri to know about the spy she had sent. Odd, just odd. What was that dragon up to? Lucyna had never been an easy one to read.

"What sort of spy are you, Miss Julianna?" Deon whispered, sipping his tea. His gaze landed on Yuri and the golden haired priest as they sat at a table somewhat close to the dragon in question.

"How long do you plan on working with the Vatican, Yuri?" the golden haired priest asked. Deon wished Yuri would say his name already. It was weird referring to the priest by that name.

"I have no idea. Hopefully not too long. I do have a mission to do…and well, it would be odd watching all of you get old, Hugue." Bingo, so the priests name was Hugue. Why did that sound familiar? Oh yes, the infamous Sword dancer.

"Yes, that would be quite awkward. Then again, I'm sure you already feel awkward just staying near the place where some people hate you."

"Yes, very much so." Yuri stopped looking over at the table where Julianna sat. He frowned slightly, but did not say anything. Deon did not have to be a genius to know that Yuri's clever mind was at work, trying to figure out who that woman was.

"Hello, sirs, what can I do for you?" Basilio said, walking over to their table after dealing with another customer. It seemed he was the only waiter working that day.

"I'd like to have some café au lait if you have any," Hugue replied.

Yuri looked confused, mumbling something in Hugue's ear. Hugue whispered back, nodding slightly.

"Uh…I'll have one too."

Basilio nodded, writing down the orders and disappearing inside the café.

"So this…caffee ouu layet is good…?"

Hugue chuckled. "Your French pronunciation needs a little more work, Yuri. Yes, it's quite good. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"What's in it?"

"Oh, it's coffee with portions of heated milk. It's quite good."

Yuri did not look thrilled, but nodded regardless.

Deon sighed. _My_ _God this is boring_, he thought. Deon wanted drama! He wanted action! If anything, he wanted Julianna to get discovered so he could see who she really was and what she was really up to.

Ten minutes later, the waiter came back, handing the tea to the two priests. That's when Julianna took her chance, putting Basilio's tip on the table and getting up to leave. However, her quick movement was not enough to escape Yuri's sharp gaze.

"Miss," he called.

Julianna grimaced, turning her head slightly. "Yes? Can I help you, sir?"

"Do I know you?" he asked.

Basilio and Hugue watched with mild interest.

"I don't believe so, sir. Sorry if I confused you. Oh yes, Basilio, I left your tip on the table. It seems I must be going lest I become late for my appointment." Without another word, she began to leave. Deon had to admit, she copied that Italian accent exceedingly well. If that did not throw Yuri's attention off, he was sure she would be doomed later.

Yuri watched her go, his frown deepening. Julianna had piped Yuri's interest without meaning to. Yes, she was an amateur spy. A real professional would have played it off, or would have simply gone along with what was being said, making up a story.

"Dammit Yuri, you're supposed to call her back," Deon growled slightly. Now that his target was gone, it was time to move on. He'd have to wait a few minutes though, or he'd look suspicious. So far however, Julianna was not a threat. He would be sure to tell Dietrich that after he was done. Hopefully that would throw that lunatic off his case.

"You just saved my life, Yuri," Deon said with a large smile. "Well, this has been a mission accomplished."

Leaning back in his chair, Deon gulped down his tea, smiling at the sky.

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**__**Author note: **_I know this was a short and seemingly pointless chapter, but there really was a point to it...even though it was awfully short, even for me. xD I'm going to have to get back to work it seems. This chapter is remarkably close to the one I'm working on right now... 

Anyway, tell me what you think!


	24. Taking A Stand

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Soupcan - **I've replied to you via email but...well, why not again. xD Yes, that chapter seemed a little pointless, but it really wasn't. Deon is going through a lot to continue spying on the Orden's behavior. In the end, all his spying will pay off...or will it? He has made a lot of reckless mistakes lately...

**Cruznik -** LoL. Here's the update! xD I know it seems like a long wait but...well, it's better than spewing chapters here and there.

Anyway, now time for the longest chapter I've done (well, one I could not break into another chapter anyway). Be prepared for some serious reading!

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_**Chapter Nineteen: Taking A Stand**_

"Unacceptable! How long were you planning on keeping such important information from me?!"

Caterina sighed, cleaning off her monocle before gently placing it back on her eye. "I did not tell you because I did not think it would become such a large problem, Francesco. In all honesty I don't see why you had to wake everyone up so early in the morning for this discussion. It would have been better if you had it during the afternoon."

Francesco ignored Caterina's complaint, continuing on with his rant. "So you did not think that this information would be vital in our destruction of all things against God?" He looked towards Alessandro as if trying to win his support. Of course the small pope just twisted his robe in his hands nervously, trying to keep up with the argument. The other men in the room watched warily as well. Though none had joined in the argument yet, it was only a matter of time before they added their input on the situation.

Caterina clasped her hands together. She knew her brother would catch on to what was going on eventually. It was only by the grace of God himself that he had not found out about Yuri or Ayden. That would have made things more…difficult. "I thought you were busy trying to handle other problems. My organization was put together to handle the Orden, which we were in fact doing. Fleur du Mal just decided to become more of a problem than usual."

Francesco glared daggers at Caterina, but she simply stared straight back with her usual passive expression. That was the only way you could ever really battle with an angry Francesco.

"Sir, I'll have to agree with the Cardinal on this one. What she says is true. Her organization is to handle problems involving non-human troublemakers, whilst you simply prosecute them. I believe in this situation the Cardinal was in the right. You cannot handle every problem," said Father Angelo. He was a small man with sly eyes like a fox, but Caterina trusted him to be wise and understanding. It was due to his wisdom and fairness that he was trusted.

The other priests in the room mumbled agreements, still keeping a close eye on the interaction between Francesco and Caterina.

"I understand that Father Angelo, but the Cardinal should have told us about this problem earlier before it grew into such an annoyance. That way we could add a little help, don't you agree?"

Father Angelo nodded solemnly. "And that is where the Cardinal was in the wrong. However, you are both young, and can make mistakes. We are not all perfect. The Cardinal was simply doing what she believed to be the best interest of the Church."

Mumbled agreements filled the air, only angering Francesco more. Instead of continuing the conversation, he turned towards another subject. "What else have you been keeping from us? What else have you covered up from the Holy eyes of God?" Francesco bellowed pacing back and forth so his robe billowed. To a normal person, Francesco would be a formidable sight right now, but not to Cardinal Sforza.

"I have covered nothing up. It would be foolish to do so."

"You're Holiness! It is unacceptable that the Cardinal has not told you of what has been going on! Even a small word of it would have been sufficed!"

"Uh…" Alessandro looked down, "I-I'm sure she has her reasons. M-Maybe she thought she could handle this problem without bringing the whole Church into this…?"

Francesco stopped and turned around. "You're Holiness; you do not believe this do you? What she has done is nothing but treachery!"

"It would have only been treachery if she continued to withhold this from us, which she had not done. Caterina chose this time to tell us. Though I cannot agree with her waiting, I do commend her for stepping forward, knowing that she could be arrested," Father Giovanni replied, finally speaking up. Like Angelo his word was taken seriously. It truly was the grace of God that these two powerful men were on Caterina's side. This would shift things in her favor. Francesco knew better than to not take those two seriously.

Alessandro looked absolutely downtrodden, his eyes shifting back and forth between Caterina and Francesco as if they were about to attack him. Caterina always felt that he should have never become pope. He was just too young. She knew exactly why he had been elected. The old men of the church wanted a puppet ruler. But she was not going to let that happen. She would be the sole person who looked out for her younger brother.

"If I am to be punished, then so be it. However, I think what is most important is keeping an eye on Fleur du Mal. We cannot allow them to finish that weapon I have told you about. Rome will be finished if that happens."

Once again, mumbled agreements filled the room, and for once, Francesco had no objections. "If this story of yours proves to be false…"

"It's not. When have I ever lied to the pope?"

Francesco nodded slowly, a scowl still glued on his face. "I'll trust you, for now. However, my department will also be taking part in this."

"Understood. I think that is a good idea as well," Caterina replied. "My Department alone won't be able to handle this. We'll continue keeping an eye on the Orden and their activities. You may handle Fleur du Mal if you wish. My people will assist anyway they can."

Caterina looked at Alessandro for permission to leave. The little pope nodded nervously. With a small smile thrown in his direction Caterina stood up and swiftly left the Hall of Angels. There was much to be done. No more breaks.

* * *

Yuri was at his usual place in the cafeteria, pondering what usually happened days before or sometimes a few hours ago. This time, he decided to think about that odd woman he saw yesterday. There was something about her that triggered his memory. Perhaps it was the perfume she had? There was only one person he knew of with a perfume like that, but she was miles and miles away. 

Yuri looked up, watching as Esther approached his table as she usually did. He simply nodded in her direction to show he acknowledged her before glancing back out the window.

"Yuri, what are you doing in here so early?" she asked.

"Thinking."

"Aren't you always doing that?" There was a faint tone of amusement in her voice.

"Usually."

Esther nodded, sitting down next to him. "Miss Caterina is trying to see if she can increase Leon's time out of jail for a while. She thinks he'll be needed a lot more now than before."

"I see," was all Yuri said. What else was he supposed to say? He did not even know that Leon was a criminal until now. That…was a little unnerving. Caterina just trusted anyone it would seem. Then again, Leon proved to be a good person…which made Yuri wonder why the man had been sent to jail to begin with.

"Esther, do you know why Leon was in jail?"

"Huh? No, sorry Yuri. You'll have to ask him yourself."

Yuri scoffed. That was a stupid idea. He did not want Leon to think he was nosey…even though he was. "Where IS Miss Caterina? I went to her office this morning to ask her something and she was not there."

A thoughtful look crossed Esther's face. "Um…I think she had a meeting today with the other priests in the Hall of Angels."

Yuri slowly looked away from the window, his eyes boring into Esther to the point that she to look elsewhere. "She went to a war room? What for?"

"I-I'm not sure…"

"Usually when people talk in war rooms it's because something happened or is about to happen…" Yuri mumbled, looking at the wooden surface of the table.

"Uh…y-yes, but…but I don't think it's anything to worry about."

Yuri scoffed again, standing up. "I'm going to my room to think. Sorry I can't stay and chat with you, Esther."

"Oh, it's all right. I understand," Esther replied, standing up too. "Don't over analyze things, Yuri. Even a dragon like you needs to take a break every now and then."

Yuri's lips tugged into a half smile. "I'll remember that. Thank you, Esther." He watched her leave before he slowly left the room.

Yuri was tired of being harassed every morning, and had to change his sleeping pattern so he could have more thinking time. Today happened to be apart of that sporadic change. Instead of getting up at his usual 1:00 p.m, he got up at 10:00 a.m. Esther was usually up and about much earlier than this, so it was no surprise to Yuri that she made an appearance.

When he made it to his room, he almost sighed with relief. Tres was not there. Another thing to rejoice about. _He probably left with Caterina, _he thought as he opened his door and turned on a light.

Tiredly, he walked over to his bed, fighting the urge to lie down and fall asleep. Instead he sat down, crossed his arms, and glared down at the floor.

"There's simply too much going on," he said to himself. "The Orden, the organization, the Spy Network..." he trailed off. And now, a weapon. This was too much for him. He was just a minor official, and now he was thrown into a situation that would have even a high ranking politician's head spinning. Yuri tried his best to come up with a solution, but he got nothing. Everything was a blank.

"I hope the Elder got the letter I sent her. Maybe she'll know what I'm supposed to do?" _Hopefully she'll send me home._

Realizing that he was losing his internal battle to stay awake, Yuri leaned back on his bed, relishing in its softness. However, something did not feel right. Something in his room seemed out of place. Turning his head to gaze at his window, he narrowed his eyes when he saw a letter sitting on the windowsill.

"What? Who sent that?" It couldn't have been Lucyna. She was quick to respond but not _that_ quick. After all, Yuri sent her a letter yesterday.

Grabbing it, he looked to see if there was an address on it. Instead what he saw was just a label saying, 'to the person I only spoke to once.'

"Uh…odd…" Something in the back of Yuri's mind told him to give that letter to Abel or someone else, but Yuri was tired of running to them for help. Swiftly, he ripped the letter open, not caring about the envelope.

_Dear Yuri,_

_Hello, how are you? It has been quite a while since we have spoken. Two months I believe. I hope this letter got to you. I gave it to a kind priest and asked him to give it to you. He was very tired, so I'm not quite sure he'll remember. Anyway, all that aside, I wanted to see if you wished to talk about ancient technology. I feel you're knowledgeable enough for us to have a long discussion on it. _

_Meet me at 12:00 p.m tomorrow at a shop near Café Doria if you accept. I hope to see you there._

_Sincerely, the man you met once_

Yuri frowned. The man he met once? What the hell was that supposed to mean? He's met a lot of people once. How could anyone be so vague?

"The man I met once…" Yuri crossed his arms, repeating that phrase in his head over and over again. He sighed, frustrated that a name was not appearing in his head before closing his eyes to think properly. Who could it be?

Yuri shook his head trying to forget such thoughts, but he simply couldn't. This was just too odd to put aside. Sighing, he stood up and left his room. Maybe if he went off into the garden area of the Church he could think better.

Yuri's quest to the garden was rudely interrupted before it even truly began. He had barely stepped out of his room before a strange sight caught his eyes; William Wordsworth stood outside his door with his pipe in hand.

"Hello, Yuri! It's a wonderful morning isn't it?" he said with a large grin. It was just as much a rarity to see William as it was for Yuri to be up early. To many people, it was an ill-omen, especially if he was smiling at you. That was never a good thing…

"Um…hello, Father. What can I do for you?"

William beamed. "Oh nothing much. I just want you to go and deliver a message to a friend of mine in town. It's quite easy, and dare I say, safe." He chuckled as if he made a joke.

"Why don't you ask someone else to do it, like Esther?"

"Sister Esther went off into town with Father Abel."

How odd. He saw Esther twenty minutes ago… "Well then…uh…ask Hugue."

"He's not here either," William said with a hint of agitation in his voice. "Besides, the young upstart does not like delivery jobs."

Fighting the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes, Yuri nodded. This could be a good excuse for him to wander away and meet whoever had given him that peculiar letter from last night. "Fine I'll do it."

William's smile grew even wider. "Oh thank you, Yuri! You don't know how much this means to me. You see, I would do it, but well…you know I'm much too busy to leave here."

_Lazy is more like it. _"All right, I'll go. What is it I have to deliver?"

"Oh, just a simple letter. It should not be too difficult. I even have directions written for you." William dug into his robe, pulling out a clean piece of paper.

Yuri shook his head smiling. William had already known what his answer was going to be. Crafty man… "Okay. I just hope you know I'm not supposed to wander too far."

"I know, my dear boy. Don't you worry. She's not too far away."

She? So William's friend was a woman? Yuri fought back a sharp chuckle. William never ceased to surprise him. "A _close _acquaintance?"

William blushed furiously. "No! She's just a friend." He coughed almost dropping his pipe. "Anyway, get to it!" With a bow, he quickly scuffled down the hallway.

Yuri smiled widely when he was sure he was gone. Everything was going according to plan. God really was on his side today. Then again, he did not believe in such a being…and yet here he was thanking him. Yes, he had been in this church _much_ too long.

* * *

Yuri made it to his destination fairly quickly. Despite the fact that Father Wordsworth was eccentric, his directions were quite good. It was almost as if the man had a map downloaded into his brain; that wouldn't have surprised Yuri at all. 

Checking the map one more time to make sure he had arrived in the right direction, he glanced up at a huge mansion covered in thick vines. The mansion looked old, as if it had been in the Vatican City for an extremely long time. Yuri could almost sense the long history behind it.

He shook his head, trying to block out anymore thoughts about the mansion before he walked up to the door and knocked. Hopefully this would not take long. He needed to meet someone soon.

Yuri waited a good five minutes before the door slowly opened and a small, mousey looking woman stared at him.

"Who are you?" she asked in annoyance with a strong British accent.

"Uh…I'm here to deliver a letter to uh…the owner of this household…"

The woman squinted her eyes as if she could not see him well. "Why should I believe you? You have proof?"

Yuri frowned. This was taking entirely too long. "No, I _don't_ have proof. All I have is this damn letter."

The woman looked a bit shocked at his language, but smiled all the same. "You got a mouth on you, boy. Come on in."

Sighing, Yuri stepped inside. If the mansion did not take his breath away outside, he had to admit that from the inside, it was absolutely gorgeous…or at least for human standards. Whoever owned this house was surely obsessed with old artwork. Her walls were covered in art.

"Who sent you, boy?" the small woman asked, walking away down the hallway. Yuri was appalled that the woman just left him. Did she want him to follow her?

"What are you waiting for, boy? Aren't you coming?" she called, answering his question.

"Crazy woman…" he mumbled as he followed after her. "Uh…Father Wordsworth sent me."

"William, huh? Stupid man should know better than to just send people to my house without a warning. I swear after all these years he hasn't changed."

Yuri did not reply back. He just wanted to follow this woman, do his job, and leave.

The woman had led Yuri to a large room full of rows and rows of library books. It was amazing that she could afford so many. Even during this day and age, books were still around the expensive side. Laying haphazardly on the floor was a medium sized black and brown furred hound. It looked up at Yuri casually, and then glanced at the woman.

"Don't worry about him. He's one of William's errand boys." Yuri glared at the back of her head, hoping she felt all his rage, and would instantly burst into flames. Errand boy?! How utterly degrading!

"All right, kid what's in the letter?" the woman asked as she sat down in an expensive chair. It seemed she completely regarded whatever feelings he had. Try and he might, as of late Yuri was having extreme difficulty controlling his emotions. His voice may have remained stoic, but his expressions were starting to show just what he really thought. Right now, he stared at the woman as if she was the most vile creature on this planet.

"I don't know. I'm just a _delivery_ boy…"

The woman smirked at his tone for a second, and then tisked, shaking her head. "William always does this…"

"Do you mind telling me who you are?" Yuri said a little too forcefully. This woman was odd. No, odd was a nice word for her. She was something else entirely.

"Eh? He didn't even tell you that?!" she said incredulously. "My name is Marietta. We used to be colleagues before his unfortunate dismissal…"

Unfortunate dismissal? What was she talking about? Yuri was tempted to ask, but decided to leave things alone. If William had not told him anything about his past willingly, then it was obvious he did not want him to know.

"Oh…I see," he said offhandedly, his eyes roving the room. "So you're the woman I'm supposed to give this to?"

Marietta seemed a bit agitated about being tossed aside, but she did not say anything of it. "That's right. Anyway, what's your name, boy?"

"Yuri."

"Yuri? You don't look much like a farmer."

Yuri's eye twitched. He oh so hated the meaning of his name...especially considering he came from a rich family. The name 'Yuri' just seemed like some sick twisted insult. "I'm nothing like a farmer."

"Yes, I thought as much. So, you're from the Republic? Interesting, interesting. People from there don't usually hang around the church...or even join it for that matter. Something about a difference of opinion on how they do things." Marrietta waved her hand as if to swat away an annoying bug.

How did…? What sort of weird person was this woman? Yuri backed away slightly. There was something off about her; very off. All rage he may have felt earlier was leaking away.

"H-How did you---?"

"It's obvious, boy. Aren't most people in your country apart of that alliance?"

Yuri coughed nervously. "Of course. Forgive me; I was just shocked you quickly came do that conclusion…"

"It does not take a genius to think of that," Marietta scolded. "All that aside, do you mind giving me that letter? You're wasting my time."

Yuri hesitated. He was starting to feel uncharacteristic fear towards this woman. She was not a normal human; he did not have to be a dragon to see that. She was…well, she was something different.

"What are you waiting for?" she hissed.

Gulping back his fears, he walked over to her and handed her the letter in question. In a second, Marietta tore it open, reading it with a hungry gaze. She read as if that letter contained the secrets of youth or something along those lines.

"Ah, this is serious, very much so if William is asking me for help. Goodness gracious I'm going to be busy. My, my, my…" she shook hear head, looking down at the hound still laying on the floor. The beast gazed at her for a split second, and then rolled so it was facing a different way.

"What does it say?" Yuri asked, trying to hide his interest by sounding bored.

"If he did not tell you about what he wrote, then it's obvious he did not want you to know. You're dismissed, or whatever I'm supposed to say to make you go away. I'll look into this and send a letter to William later. You don't need to tell him what I just told you. He'll know."

Yuri glared. "You can't just dismiss me without answering my…" he trailed off when Marietta sent a frigid glare in his direction. No wonder William had not wanted to give the letter to her in person… "All right, I'll go…"

He turned to leave, but looked back over his shoulder. "What are you?"

Marietta blinked.

"I mean…you're…different from humans…"

"I have no idea what you mean," Marietta replied. Her words left no more room for discussion, and Yuri was not one to push questions, so he nodded a goodbye to her and promptly left the room.

Marietta's words still clung to him even as he left her house and walked down the street to his next destination. He wanted to ask William later about her, but…deep down inside he knew he shouldn't. Marietta was not a normal human, and that was good enough for him. However, it was rare for a human to frighten a dragon, no matter how strong they were…

Shaking his head, Yuri tried to think of something else, like his meeting with whoever sent that letter to him. In the letter, the person said they had met before…but where? There was no one he had met from this city---wait, actually there was. Isaak. Yes, that's right! He had met Isaak!

"Could that be who it's from?" Yuri said to himself. It could be. Nothing was out of the question in this city. However, why would the man wait so long to talk to him? He had said he was busy with a client before…but busy doing what? He just looked like a scholar. Was he working for someone rich? Was he gathering information about Vatican City? The name Isaak brought many questions, most of which were, well, suspicious to say the least.

* * *

Abel yawned as he stepped back into the Church with Esther. He was exhausted beyond belief, but happy. Getting up early always made him feel this way; unlike Yuri who thrived on oversleeping. The sky had been a brilliant blue, and the bird's gentle songs had been comforting to say the least. 

Esther glanced up at him, smiling. "You seem very happy today, Father."

Abel nodded, beaming. "How can I not be happy on such a beautiful day? The sky is so clear and---," he stopped. Father William was leaning against a wall, smiling at the two. Esther sensing his confusion followed his gaze. As soon as she saw William, she sighed.

"Why hello you two! Good to see you're back…and just in time too."

"What is it you want?" Abel and Esther said at the same time, earning an indignant glare from William.

"Why do you two always have to ask me that when I simply say hello? I swear you two are worse than Yuri. Earlier this morning he was a little snappy, but I suppose that's to be expected."

Abel and Esther glanced at each other. "Is Yuri actually still awake?" Esther said.

William chuckled. "Yes, he's awake still. He was quite grumpy as usual…not that he's usually people friendly. I must say he acts almost exactly like Hugue. You see, this morning---."

Esther cut him off. "So Yuri's in the cafeteria right? That's usually where I find him."

William puffed his pipe in annoyance. "No, I sent him off on an errand."

"W-What?!" Esther and Abel exclaimed in unison once again.

"Is something the matter?"

"Yes there's something the matter, Father!" Esther barked. "Yuri's not supposed to leave without someone going with him!"

William blinked. "Yes, I'm aware. However, he should be back right about now. I had him deliver a letter to an old friend of mine who just so happens to be in town today. She's quite close to the Church so…well, I thought it wouldn't be a problem."

"But what if Caterina hears about this?" Abel said, looking around as if she was suddenly going to appear out of nowhere and scold them.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her. She'll be back in another hour, two if we're lucky; so no worries."

Abel and Esther did not look convinced.

"You two worry too much. Yuri is an adult and can take care of himself."

"We know that…it's just…well, all this stuff with the Orden and Fleur du Mal. What if something happens to him?" Abel did not wait for an answer before he continued. "I'll go look for him. After all, you said he should have been back by now right?"

"Yes…but…" William trailed off as he watched Abel walk away.

"Abel!" Esther called, about to run after him. However, she did not get very far before William called her back.

"Sister Esther, I need your assistance with an experiment of mine! It won't take long!"

Esther frowned. "Is that why you were waiting here?"

"Yes and no. I was waiting for Yuri, but I was also waiting for the both of you to come back. The experiment would go so much smoother if there was an extra person…but since Abel is gone I'll have to use you and someone else."

Esther sighed, and watched Abel leave.

"Come along, Sister Esther!" William called jovially. "There's much to do!"

If only she had run faster…

* * *

Café Doria seemed to be 'the place' to meet people. Today, despite the fact it was still fairly early, people had already gathered around, claiming seats, and shouting for their waiter. 

Quite frankly, all the noise was annoying Yuri, and he was tempted to just leave. Such a feeling did not last though, because curiosity was stronger than his annoyance.

Yuri sat down at a table under the shade of an umbrella, and patiently waited. He could feel that noon was almost upon him. His dragon senses told him that much. The sun was always the highest at noon.

A disgruntled waitress quickly appeared at his table, asking if there was anything he wanted. Yuri shook his head, watching as the young woman ran to a different table, jotting down orders with such a speed, he thought her notebook would catch on fire.

"Hello, Father. It's a pleasure to finally meet you again."

That cultured voice---there was only one man he heard that spoke like that.

"Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer, am I correct?" he said, turning his head to the used to be empty chair across from him.

"Ah, so you remember me. I feel honored." Kämpfer smiled charmingly. Yuri was a little shaken by how quietly the man had appeared near him, but he shook his paranoia away as if it was a speck of dust.

"And you remember me. I should feel the same. Uh…Kämpfer, I was wondering why you did not put your name on that envelope you sent me. It would have made things a little easier…"

Kämpfer laughed, his long black hair blowing slightly in the gentle breeze that blew by. "No, it would have made things a little difficult. I'm constantly harassed by the Church you see. They always want me to check up on some technology of theirs. I was lucky to find a priest who did not know me."

"Oh I see." Yuri's attention went back to the waiters and waitresses running about like ants, his thoughts swimming in doubt. Yuri was never a trusting person, so he was not one hundred percent sure of Kämpfer's story. He had no plans of checking up on it though, lest he ruin whatever small relationship he had with the man. "Uh…you wanted to talk about ancient technology didn't you?"

Kämpfer nodded. "I hear that that radical vampire group, Fleur du Mal, has created quite a dangerous weapon…" Yuri quickly turned his eyes toward him.

"Where did you hear this?" he asked.

"From many people. Mostly those who have unlimited free time on the streets, I suppose you could say."

"Ah, so you gained this information from the homeless? How peculiar..."

Kämpfer sighed. "Peculiar indeed. I'm not sure whether it's true or not, so I decided to contact you and see for myself."

Yuri's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why did you not simply ask Cardinal Caterina? Aren't you on the Vatican's good side?"

"Yes I am, and then again I'm not. They see me as a heretic because I don't believe in their God. It would be hard pressed to get a conference with the Cardinal."

That made sense. "So you chose me…" he did not mean to sound so agitated. What was odd was the fact that Caterina did not seem like a judgemental person. Obviously she would have listened to Isaak if she wanted to. There was something this man was keeping from him; something vital. Two could play this game. Yuri was no fool.

"Forgive me, Father Kostka. I simply wished to speak to you again. Besides, we both love ancient technology."

"Yes, that's true, but this is classified. I can't speak to you about it."

Something flashed in Kämpfer's eyes; something Yuri could not identify. Whatever it was, it was bad news. "Please, Father Kostka you must. I need to know. My scholar's heart screams for it. Surely you understand?"

Yuri nodded slowly. _Play along, play along..._ "Yes it's true."

Kämpfer smiled lazily, like a Cheshire cat. "I see. Well that is not comforting at all." It was hard to tell whether the man was being sarcastic or not. That smile on his face looked out of place considering his words.

"We don't exactly know what it does or even what it looks like. All we know is that it's dangerous."

"Ah, those Vatican fools are bits too far behind aren't they? Those Fleur du Mal people are almost close to completion from what I've heard."

Yuri bit his lip. Well, this was new information. "Is that so?" Kämpfer nodded. "So, do you know what this weapon is?"

"No. I was hoping the Vatican knew."

Yuri shook his head.

Kämpfer stroked his chin, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "I heard a rumor that this radical group has almost completed this weapon and that their base is, in fact, in this very city."

Yuri had been half-heartedly listening to what Isaak had said, but once he heard that, the handsome man had his full attention. "Are you sure?"

"In all honesty, no I'm not sure. It does not make much sense if you ask me. Then again, vampires are confusing to understand." Kämpfer's eyes seemed to be staring at something behind Yuri, a small smirk growing on his face.

Yuri raised an eyebrow, and then turned to see what he was looking at. Abel was walking down the street. He seemed to be looking for something…or better yet, someone.

"Damn," Yuri mumbled.

"A friend of yours?"

"Something like that."

"I see," Kämpfer said. "Well then, I've gotten what I've wanted. Thank you for coming, Mister Kostka. If I gain anymore information, I'll be sure to send it to you." He shook his hand. Slowly, and languidly, he took out a cigar and walked away as if their meeting had never taken place. Yuri watched him go for a while, before he too stood up. As soon as he did so, Abel instantly ran over to his direction.

"Y-Yuri! There you are! I've been searching all over for you!"

Yuri smiled, and then looked back to where Isaak had been a while ago. It was as if the man had completely disappeared into thin air. There was no sign that he had ever existed.

"Yuri…"

He jumped when he felt Abel's hands land on his shoulders. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine…" he lied.

Abel seemed uncertain about what he should say, but smiled widely. "You shouldn't be walking about without guidance, Yuri. You could get lost."

"Uh…yes, I know. Do forgive me, Abel." Yuri scanned his brain for something to say to try and steer Abel away from questioning him. Anything would have sufficed considering Abel had a short attention span. "Um…I was wondering, would you like to have some tea with me?" The look on Abel's face made him blush slightly. He looked as if the world was about to end.

"W-What?"

"I…I asked if you wanted to drink some tea with me. We wouldn't have to be here long. Just a little cup of tea and then off we go…"

"I-I…well, of course I wouldn't mind having tea with you. I'm quite thirsty really."

Abel and Yuri looked away from each other awkwardly before both sitting down at the table. Yuri could not understand why Abel was acting so wary of him. Was it really so rare for him to be kind to someone? Or…was it just rare for Yuri to invite anyone to do anything with him?

"Uh…Yuri, what have you been up to? I mean, you don't usually come here. Uh…didn't you say something about not liking tea?"

Yuri frowned, trying to telepathically call a waiter or waitress over without much success. What was taking so damn long?

"No, I said I did not like coffee, or whatever the hell you call it."

Abel winced at his language. "Yuri, please be careful about how you talk here."

"All right, all right…" Yuri waved his hand to flag a waiter down. Eventually a tall man with dark brown hair walked over to his table. He seemed very tired, which Yuri could understand. Today was rather hectic.

"Can I help you, sirs?" the man asked kindly.

Yuri nodded. "I'll have that caramel tea everyone's been talking about. Just two teaspoons of sugar would suffice."

The man nodded, writing down his order before looking over at Abel. "And your friend?"

"Um…I'll have the same thing, but uh…with sixteen scoops of sugar."

Both Yuri and the man stared at Abel with wide eyes, but neither said a word about his peculiar order.

"A-All right then...um…y-your orders should be here within ten minutes." Without waiting to see if they wanted anything else, the man promptly disappeared into the café.

"Was that much sugar really necessary, Abel?" Yuri asked, shaking his head. "You humans have enough sugar in your blood. Why would you want more? I swear your people are weird."

Abel chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I haven't eaten breakfast this morning, and well…" he trailed off. "Oh, I did not ask how you were today!"

Abel looked so silly that Yuri laughed despite himself. Why was it one person could be so air headed? "You are really something."

Abel blushed furiously, and looked away. "Is that a compliment?"

"Maybe." Yuri smiled.

"What? That doesn't really answer the question!" Abel whined, pouting.

"Perhaps, and then again perhaps not." Yuri shrugged as if that was the simplest answer he could give. "Ah yes, what were you and Esther doing this morning?"

Abel sighed, taking off his glasses and cleaning the lenses. "Trying to find leads on where Fleur du Mal is."

"Did you find anything?"

"No, not really. Well…actually we did get a small piece of information from a young man."

Yuri yawned, looking back towards the café entrance. "Oh? Did this young man say his name?"

"Uh, he said his name was Patrick…or at least I think that was his name. I…well, can't really remember."

_Patrick, huh? That name doesn't ring a bell. _"What did he say?"

"Something about a strange man wandering about. He said that a friend of his had taken him in to patch up some wounds of his, but did not say what was wrong with him."

"W-Wounds?" Yuri turned his attention back to Abel.

"Yes. Quite odd, right? Patrick said that the man must have been in a gang fight or something judging by his wounds. Hmm…it was nothing really out of the ordinary."

"Abel you fool," Yuri shook his head. "How many gangs do you know wandering about in the Vatican City? Honestly…"

Abel blushed again, chuckling. "Well, I thought it sounded strange, but…"

"Did you ask this Patrick man where he lived?"

"Oh yes, we have that information. With the Cardinal's permission we can properly ask him questions. You see, Esther and I could not really do that earlier. We were told to gather information, yes, but we have to have the Cardinal's permission to bring him to the Church for further questioning."

Yuri was about to say something when their waiter came back, gently sitting down saucers and placing small, beautiful tea cups on top. Both Yuri and Abel thanked him before going back to their conversation.

"You people and your weird way of doing things..." Yuri shook his head. "Why did you not invite the man to simply stay at the Church until further notice? If he knows something, then would it not be dangerous to leave him there?"

Abel sipped his tea, grimacing. "Uh…well…"

"I swear…" Yuri mumbled obscenities, glaring at his tea cup as if he wished it would burst into flames. "Abel, after this, we are going to go back to wherever the hell you found this damn man and bring him to the Church whether he likes it or not."

Abel's eyes widened and he swiftly put his tea cup down. "Yuri we can't just force people to leave their house! It's against jurisdiction! We can get jail time for that."

"For something as silly as that?" Yuri shook his head again. "Then what do you propose we do? Wait? What if something happens to this man in that span of time? What if he runs away because he does not want priests harassing him? Did you Esther not think anything through?"

Abel looked down like a child who had been scolded.

"I don't truly understand how you people do things, but this just sounds foolish. Even for someone as young as me this doesn't make sense."

"There's a lot of things about the Church that does not make sense…but you have to bear with it, you have to do as the rules dictate, Yuri. I know you don't understand that, and probably never will, but please respect how we do things."

Yuri threw his hands in the air exasperated. "Fine, whatever. None of this is my business anyway. I'm just here to gather information."

"Nonsense, Yuri! Remember you're apart of the team now…uh…though temporarily."

Yuri smiled slightly. "You sure like to say my name don't you? You use it almost every sentence." Abel coughed.

"W-Well it's a nice name."

"I'm sure," Yuri teased, sipping his tea again. "Yes, you're right. I'm apart of the team…for now anyway. When all this blows over I can go back home like I planned."

Abel looked away, a small frown appearing on his usually happy face. "Ah, yes…I forgot about that. You'll be leaving…"

Yuri blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Yes, that's usually what happens once one is done with their mission and objective…"

"I know that…but still…" Abel trailed off as he usually did, his cerulean eyes taking a glazed, contemplative look.

"Erm…I'll keep in touch?"

Abel laughed. "I can't imagine you sending postcards."

"Hmm…I've never sent a postcard…but I suppose I'll give it a try for all of you."

Abel's smile came back, warmer than it was before. For some odd reason, it made Yuri almost blush. It took much willpower to prevent that usual warmth from crawling up his cheeks. "You've changed, Yuri. You smile more, and you're less cold."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Maybe, or maybe not."

Despite trying to cover up his feelings he did the one thing he did not want to do, he blushed, all thoughts of finishing his tea gone with Abel's gentle smile. Yuri coughed, trying to cover up his embarrassment. "All this aside, we need to hurry back to the Church before Father Wordsworth has a heart attack."

Abel quickly scarfed down his tea, and stood up. "Yes, let's hurry back. If Miss Caterina comes back and asks about where we are..."

"We'll be in big trouble."

"That's right," Abel agreed.

Yuri sipped some of his tea, and then sat the still half-full cup back down. He dug into his pockets looking for money to bring out for the waiter, but Abel was quicker.

"Allow me, Yuri." He waved that waiter over and promptly paid the tired man. "There we go! Problem solved!" Abel beamed. His smile made Yuri blush again. What was this man doing to him?

"Yes, whatever. Come on Abel, we have to get back."

Abel smiled, quickly following after him. Yuri was glad that Abel decided to walk behind him rather than side by side. He could not bear to have the man see him with reddened cheeks.

* * *

**_Author note:_ **Zomg, Isaak! That's all I've got to say. I would say more, but I'm sure you're all tired of reading now. Seriously...16 pages of Word... 


	25. Time To Move

_**Review Reply Corner**_

**Soupcan – **LoL. I'm glad you liked all the reading. xD I made an error like that? My goodness I seriously should consider a beta reader. I keep missing all my little errors. Don't you worry, then next chapter will be mostly from Abel's POV, though Yuri takes over close to the end of the chapter for reasons that will soon be shown.

**MeL – **Mel! Welcome back. Don't you worry, all those questions will soon be answered! Well, Isaac will somewhat answer your question. There's really no big reason behind what he's doing really.

**Adrienne – **LoL. Abel's transformation is coming up in the next chapter…or then again maybe the chapter after the next (is still working on it). My God I have gotten lazy. I need to get back to work.

**Crusnik 02 – **I answered you via email because my reply would have been crazy, crazy long. I just love talking that I just can't stop…like now. xD

**Kasumita - **Kasu you're back! xD It's good to hear from you. LoL, there was a lot to catch up to wasn't there. I was on a roll over the summer. Yes, Yuri is softer. He's still a big grumpy pants though. I don't think any amount of training will change that.

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty: Time to Move**_

Caterina quietly and stealthfully returned to the Main Church. No one had really known she had gone, minus her people, the AX. Much was on her mind, and quite frankly, she did not want to be questioned about her discussion at the Hall of Angels with the churches high ranking clergymen.

Caterina was tempted to go and take a nap, but she had a job to do, and do it she would. Now that her brother was involved in this, it was more than likely he was going to make a mess of things like he usually did. Francesco was all about brute strength rather than careful planning. With him bounding about like a boar, Fleur du Mal may make a break for it, and run to another city. That was something Caterina could not afford, even if she did get put behind bars for interfering.

"Your Eminence, are you hungry?" Havel asked, watching her quietly from his usual place by her side.

"No, I'm more in the mood for a cup of tea than anything."

"You've been a tea addict lately," Havel said, a tint of amusement to his tone.

Caterina smiled, leaning her head against her hand. "Yes, I have been. It seems to be the only thing that can keep me on tract, and help me relax."

"Do you want me to pour you some tea?"

Caterina shook her head. "No, not now."

"Very well."

Father Havel must have read her mind, because he said the exact thing she was thinking of. "You know, we'll have to act fast if we are to find Fleur du Mal before your brother."

Caterina waved a gloved hand. "Yes it would appear so. Francesco will only make things more difficult if we don't hurry. We may have to question the little vampire again."

"I'm surprised your brother has not found out about him…considering he found everything else out."

"It is surprising…" Caterina mumbled. How could her brother not find that out? Was he messing with her head? Or did he just not deem the vampire important enough to question? Whatever his reasons were, she was suspicious all the same. Her brother may act like a ragging bull, but he could be crafty when he wanted to be. This could be a trap.

"Hmm…what do you plan on doing, Your Eminence?"

"I'll need everyone gathered here so I can tell them what we're going to be doing."

Havel nodded, and walked towards the door. However, he did not leave. Instead, he turned to regard Caterina once again. "What about Father Garcia?"

"I'll have Sister Kate handle that."

Havel nodded again, pleased with that answer before he left.

"Tres, please look for the others as well."

"Affirmative," Tres said with is usual monotonous tone as he too left the room.

Soon Caterina was left alone in her room with a stack of papers she still had not read. Today was going to be a very busy day.

* * *

Kämpfer was up to something. Deon knew that much from observing him. The cruel man had never told him where he had wandered off to earlier this morning, but he could guess. Kämpfer had probably went and caused trouble with the Vatican…perhaps spreading false information to someone. Yuri was probably who he targeted. The young dragon still did not know the snake of a man very well. So it would be a walk in the park to do it... 

"Mister Kämpfer, are you planning something?"

"Why of course. I'm always planning, Mister Peterson."

That was hardly an answer. If anything, it made him more curious. "So, what did you do this time?" This question earned a smirk from Kämpfer.

"Nothing. I was simply trying to see how far the Vatican is in finding out what Fleur du Mal is up to. Apparently they are still quite ignorant."

Deon bit down on his tongue. They were still in the dark? Damn, what was Lucyna doing? She was supposed to have sent information to the church a while ago! Wait…was Julianna supposed to be the one giving them information? If so, she was doing a horrible job.

"Do you want me to do something?"

Kämpfer took out a cigar, lighting it and sending a puff of smoke out of his mouth. "There's a werewolf running about I hear. That silly Dietrich did not kill him. Of course he's not a problem, but we could use this to our advantage."

"You…want me to lure him out of his hiding place right? And…uh…send the hounds of the Vatican after him like a proper hunt right?"

Kämpfer laughed, his rich voice filling their large hotel room. "Correct. My you are quite intuitive. No wonder Dietrich thinks so highly of you."

Deon forced a smirk to appear on his face.

"Use that werewolf, and use him well. He seems to be a coward, so perhaps he'll tell them what they need to know. If he doesn't…"

"Then the dragon will…"

Kämpfer smiled. "Very good."

"Are you sure? I mean, dragons are a stubborn bunch. Even Fleur du Mal does not like dealing with them too much…"

"Trust me, Deon. Dragons are prideful. Even the worst of their filth have some sense of honor. Prehaps a little 'lesson' is all he needs."

Deon tilted his head to the side. A lesson? Like what? Isaac proved to be just as difficult to understand as everyone else in that crazed Order. "Uh…I hear that the dragon is in Venice. Is this true?"

Kämpfer nodded, blowing a ring of smoke.

"I see…"

Kämpfer shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Where ever this goes is up to the Vatican. If they destroy the very things that could aide them, then so be it. It will only add to the fun."

"B-But…t-this doesn't make any sense! This whole plan is just something slapped together!"

Kämpfer smiled coldly. Deon tensed. Would he get hurt? Did he say something wrong?

"Silly, Deon. Must you be so paranoid? This is all fun. If the plan fails, then it fails. This is an experiment of sorts."

Deon nodded slowly. These people were insane. "If they kill the dragon, perhaps it will make Lucyna back away and leave us alone."

"Perhaps. That woman is clever. She probably has more up her sleeve than she's letting on."

Deon bit back a gulp.

"Anyway, about that man you spoke to…"

"P-Patrick?"

"Yes, that man. Has he done his duty?"

"Yes, sir. All he hopes for is that we leave him alone and keep him from harms way when things get chaotic."

Kämpfer took a long drag of his cigar. "We'll do that. He has my word as first to our dear master."

That did not mean much to Deon. Dietrich often spoke the same way…before he stabbed someone in the back or made them do it themselves. Deon was silent as he watched the smoke swirl and dance as it drifted off Kämpfer's cigar.

"Should I get things ready now?"

"Please do."

Deon bowed, forcing his face into a state of seriousness. Actually…it did not take much effort at all. This was a very serious matter…

* * *

Abel and Yuri had a rendezvous with Tres without meaning to on their way back. It was almost as if they both had trackers on them. Then again…Tres was a machine… 

"Father Nightroad, Father Kostka, you are needed in the Cardinal's office."

"For what?" Abel asked.

"Information will be relayed to you once you arrive at your destination."

Abel looked at Yuri and shrugged. Tres was never really good at explaining things. "Are you sure you can't just tell us…?" Tres was already walking back down the street.

Yuri coughed, looking at Abel awkwardly before following after the man.

If Tres was coming to get them, then did that mean something was wrong with the Cardinal?! "Tres is Caterina all right?" Abel asked nervously.

"Positive. The Cardinal is fine."

Abel sighed with relief, earning a confused glance from Yuri. "That's good. Uh…Tres, um…how were things at the meeting?"

"I was not there, so I cannot give you information."

"Oh…" Abel said quietly. "Is that the reason we're going to go and see her? To find out what was said?"

"Positive."

"You know…Sister Kate could have contacted me. I do have my radio headset."

Tres was silent.

"And thus you ignore me…" Abel sighed.

"I don't know why you bother. Tres was never much help with me. I thought since you have known the man longer that you would know that," Yuri replied.

"I know…but still…even a little bit of information would be nice."

Yuri clucked his tongue and did not say more.

It did not take long for the three priests to make it back to the church especially with Tres forcing them along with a breakneck pace. If Tres was causing them discomfort he did not know it…which only made things worse.

Hugue walked next to them looking a bit tired. He looked at them with a small confused frown which Abel instantly knew was a silent question.

"Hello, Father Hugue. I haven't seen you all day. Where have you been?"

"Around," was his simple response. Hugue was never one for long conversations. Remarkably, he did seem a little bit more talkative with Esther and Yuri. Why? Abel could not really figure that out, though he did rack his brains for an answer a few times.

Snapping out of his stupor, Abel answered the question on Hugue's face. "Uh, it seems Caterina wants us to go to her office for a briefing."

"Hmm…" Hugue said, walking ahead of the group towards the churches massive doors.

Abel scratched his head and slowed his pace until he was a little ways behind Yuri and Tres. Sometimes he wished he could just get a simple answer and not mull over it. Though Hugue was probably thinking about what was said, he never ever questioned what he was told. Anyone else would have been bombarding him with questions like, "why?" After all…was that not what people usually asked?

"Abel, quit daydreaming," Yuri grumbled, watching him boredly by the open church doors. Tres had already disappeared inside, perhaps annoyed by their dilly dallying.

"Uh…coming!" Abel called, running.

* * *

"Good. Everyone is here…minus Leon." Caterina looked at Kate as she said this. 

"Don't worry, Your Eminence, he'll be here eventually."

"Yes…well…we'll have to update him upon his arrival. Knowing him, it will probably be another three hours before he actually gets here. Anyway, moving on. You're all probably wondering why you're here."

Everyone mumbled a yes.

"Well, we now officially have to race against my fool of a brother now that his department is involved. I had hoped he would not find out until we had more information, but that proved to be wrong."

"Does Cardinal Francesco know about Ayden? That little Methuselah would have a heart attack if he found out the man knew about him," Yuri said with his usual bored tone. However, Abel could tell that despite his apathetic expression that he was worried about him.

"No…which is very odd even to me. My brother would not ignore a good source like Ayden unless he had a reason. He may not know about him…but it seems odd if he found out everything else."

"That does sound odd," William said, biting on the end of his pipe. "What is that man up to…?" he said to no one in particular. "Do you think he's found another reliable source? I find it strange that he would not want to put Ayden on trial."

"So does this mean he doesn't know about him?" Esther said, unsure about what the two were talking about. "I mean he could be trying to trick us, but then again maybe he really _doesn't _know about Ayden."

Caterina nodded fondly. "Yes, and then there's that. All in all, I'm unsure about my brother. I may be acting paranoid, but be on guard. No one must know that Ayden is a vampire, is that understood?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"Anyway, moving on. We'll all have to split into teams to effectively cover more ground. Now that the Inquisitorial Department in running around causing trouble, we'll have to try and keep out of their way by gathering information quicker than them."

"Uh, Miss Caterina," Abel said, raising his hand slightly.

Caterina smiled, clearly amused. "Yes, what is it Abel?"

"Esther and I did as you ordered this morning. We went out to find any information concerning Fleur du Mal, and found a young man who may know about the werewolf that attacked me and Leon."

Esther nodded in agreement.

"What did he say?" Caterina asked, looking back and forth between the two.

Esther decided to be the one who spoke up. "Well…he said he saw a man who had been horribly wounded in what appeared to be a gang fight of some sort."

"Peculiar…" Father Havel said, rubbing his chin. "We don't really have problems with gangs in this city..."

"Indeed," William replied chewing in the end of his pipe fiercely. "There has not been any gang activity in this city for more than fifty years. Why would it start now?"

"That's exactly what Abel and I think. But…well…we had to adhere to the church laws, so we could not bring him to the church against his will…"

Caterina crossed his fingers. "We need to get him to talk, or the Inquisitorial Department will get their claws on him. You can be sure they will find a way around that law. Esther, I want you and Father Wordsworth to go and visit this man again, is that understood? Get the location of that wounded man and report it back to me."

"W-What? Me and Father William?" Esther looked at Abel. "B-But what about Abel?"

"Father Abel has another job I have in store for him. I will explain it once this meeting is over."

Abel looked a bit shocked, but nodded numbly.

"Father Wordsworth," Caterina said, her blue gaze falling on the eccentric priest, "did you get _her_ help with this problem?"

"I haven't gotten word from her back, but I'm sure she will assist us. Just keep your window open."

Abel blinked. What was these two talking about? Apparently he was not the only one confused. Everyone outside the conversation looked at each other strangely…minus Tres who did not seem to care.

"All right. She will be a big help to us with our 'little problem'."

"Don't you worry! She won't fail you I can tell you that."

Caterina nodded curtly, her attention zooming in on Hugue. "Did you find anything?"

"No. Minus what I have told you this morning concerning the problem in Venice, there was nothing else I could gather."

"I see…" Abel felt for Caterina in that moment. She looked very tired, and seemed much older than she truly was. "Father Watteau and Father Wordsworth, continue with the missions I have laid out for you."

"Yes, Your Eminence," the priests said softly.

"The rest of you will be put on standby until further notice. You're all dismissed except for Sister Kate, Father Abel, and Mister Kostka."

Everyone began shuffling, shooting glances at three in question every now and then as they went to the door. When the door was finally closed that was when Caterina deemed it safe to speak.

"Yuri, Abel, the two of you are probably wondering what I have in store for you. I can tell by your faces." She smiled warmly.

"I…would like to know, yes. It's not everyday I'm called to stay back," Yuri said.

Caterina nodded. "I have a very important mission for the both of you. It involves a serious issue in Venice concerning a renegade dragon."

Yuri and Abel were instantly on alert.

"A dragon? Why would a dragon be causing trouble in Venice?" Yuri asked warily.

"Well…it's not causing trouble…for now anyway. To the people it's not a dragon that's in their waters, but a large crocodile-like creature. They believe it might have accidentally gotten into their water. So far it has not harmed anyone, but we have to be sure the dragon is not apart of Fleur du Mal."

"Yes. The dragon is being harmless for now. It seems it only appears at certain times, though mainly at night. Whoever this dragon is, they obviously want attention," Sister Kate added.

Yuri nodded slowly, his eyes going to the floor. "Does the Department know? You can be sure they'll be having a field day with this."

"More than likely. This is why I want the both of you on a flight to Venice today. The _Iron Maiden_ will take you there. Since we're in Vatican territory we don't have to worry about any rules and regulations from foreign countries."

Sister Kate bowed. "That's right. Besides, it will be much quicker if you use my ship rather than going on a public vessel, not to mention cheaper." She glared at Abel as she said this. Yuri could only guess what was going on between those two.

"This…is rather…uh…sudden," Abel said, finally speaking up.

"Yes, I know, Abel," Caterina's eyes softened. "I put you and Yuri together on this mission because it seemed the best thing to do. Yuri, since you are a dragon, perhaps you can reason with your brethren." Yuri nodded. "And Abel, since you are usually very sociable, you could calm the dragon down if it happens to be a little aggressive. You seem quite good at being a mediator."

Abel smiled sheepishly at the compliment.

"Your Eminence, may I say something?" Caterina nodded, raising an eyebrow. "This sounds like a trap. It's against the law in my country for a dragon to transform anywhere near areas inhabited by humans. If this dragon is doing just that, then it obviously is no ally to the Republic."

Caterina seemed to be mulling over his words for a second before she shook her head. "We have to see, Yuri. I understand what you're saying. However, if we kill this dragon without finding out who or what it wants, Lucyna will be most unhappy with us. That is not something I want."

Yuri sighed loudly, glaring sideways towards the only window in the room.

"Well then…" Caterina continued, "You two are to leave right now. This must be done today."

Abel opened his mouth to speak, but the glare sent his way from both Kate and Caterina was enough to make him close it.

"Now then, the both of you are dismissed."

Yuri did not need to be told twice. As soon as those words were uttered, he angrily stomped out of the room.

Abel watched him go sadly, and was about to follow him and perhaps offer comfort, but Caterina held him back.

"Abel, keep an eye on Yuri while you're on this mission."

"W-Why?" he asked.

"Just watch him, Abel." Caterina sighed, tugging on a long blonde curl. "Be ready to go within an hour. Please tell Yuri that as well. "

Abel nodded slowly and then left the room. Yuri seemed to be having a hard time controlling his emotions as of late. Hopefully he would be able to control them long enough for the two to do their mission.

_**

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_**Author note – **_Whew, just a few more chapters and this fanfic is over. It sure was fun writing this, but all good things must come to an end as they say. I love you guys. You have all been a great support. Thank you so much! Really, I mean it! **–gets all sappy- **I have over 2000 hits now! Hurray! xD

\


	26. The Beast

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Soupcan – **LoL. Yes, everyone seems to love glaring at poor Abel. I'm glad you loved the long chapter! This is a long one too so…yay! xD

**Mel** –You think this is chaotic? You wait until the chapters close to the end. It starts to get really crazy. Thank you for pointing that out, Mel! That was a pretty embarrassing mistake. Darn Isaak and the many spellings of his name. The problem has been corrected. Oh and yes, Yuri is getting very angry…and more than that really. He's showing emotions he's never really had much of a chance showing due to his uh…circumstances. Is it bad? Hmm…maybe. Eh? Lol. I think I suck at tricking people really.

_**

* * *

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_**Chapter Twenty-One: The Beast **_

Abel had a hard time finding Yuri anywhere. It was almost as if the young dragon had completely disappeared. It seemed not even the other priests and nuns had any idea where he could be.

_Yuri wouldn't run away during a time like this would he?_ Abel thought. No…Yuri may have been angry, but he was no fool. There was no way he would have gotten far without Tres dragging him back…

"Father Havel, have you seen Yuri?" he asked, running up to the older priest as he walked out of the cafeteria with a cup of tea.

"Yes actually. I passed by him a few minutes ago. He looked quite unhappy, but I did not bother him."

Abel sighed. What was Yuri up to now? "Oh, I see. Thank you, Father."

Havel nodded and bid Abel adieu before going back towards the Cardinal's office with her cup of tea.

* * *

Abel searched long and hard for Yuri before he decided to just wander off to his room. That was the only place he had not searched. If Yuri was not there, then chances were he went AWOL and disappeared somewhere. Hopefully he would be in his room. Abel did not want to bother Caterina, especially since so much was passing through her head at the moment. 

Abel stood in front of Yuri's door, unsure of what to do. Should he knock, or should he just enter? Either one would probably earn Yuri's wrath, but that was a chance he was going to have to take.

He knocked on the door softly, and waited. A sigh of exasperation was all he heard for an answer. Taking that as a cue to come in, he did so. As soon as Abel entered the room, he saw Yuri's eyes scanning a letter by his window.

"Uh…Yuri…a-are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Father," he mumbled, still reading.

Abel nodded, closed the door, and waited for Yuri to finish. Whenever the young dragon said 'Father' that was usually his cue to keep his mouth shut.

"It's rather annoying," Yuri said a little agitated.

"Uh…what?" Abel stepped a little closer. What was Yuri talking about? What was annoying?

Yuri waved the letter. Oh, that was what was annoying…but why?

Abel raised an eyebrow and held out his hand for the letter. Yuri watched it for a minute, but did not give it to him. Instead he folded the piece of paper and stuck it in his robe.

"Uh…" Abel began, but Yuri walked past him. "Yuri, wait!"

Yuri stopped.

"Who gave you that letter?" he asked, steering clear from what was in it. Yuri seemed angry about whatever it was; a trait that the dragon usually kept hidden.

"A spy for Lucyna. I knew that woman would not let me wander around unwatched. She doesn't trust me enough. It's funny...how paranoid she is. I guess the Elder is a hypocrite just like everyone else…"

"Yuri...I'm sure that's not true."

Yuri turned completely, looking at Abel as if he had grown another head. "Are you always this naïve? No, that's a nice word for people like you."

"It's not naivety, Yuri. It's called optimism. Your problem is that you look at all the bad things and ignore the good."

"Are you saying that I'm just a walking ball of malice?"

Abel shook his head vehemently. Where did Yuri get that from? He had meant nothing of the sort! "You're taking things of out context…another problem of yours."

"Oh, so I'm really all that messed up am I?" Yuri's voice became cold, just as cold as his gaze.

"N-No, that's not what I meant! Why are you always so confrontational and negative, Yuri? Calm down and just---" Abel backed away as Yuri walked towards him, backing into a wall. The look of absolute apathy on his face terrified him. How could anyone's eyes be so cold, and yet their face so stoic? "W-Wait---!" he never had a chance to finish before he was lifted off the ground, his fearful blue eyes locked with a forest of green.

"You're an idiot; an absolute fool, Abel!"

Abel frowned slightly. What was wrong with Yuri? "Y-You're the fool, Yuri! Stop being so angry, and listen to people! Everyone cares about you! But all you see is deception! You're not in Fleur du Mal anymore!"

Anger flared across Yuri's face. "I'm not the one working with a hypocritical group like the Vatican! You preach about God and yet all of you are murderers! What sort of holy men kill others?!"

Abel opened his mouth to shout something back, but only succeeded in making himself look like a fool.

"You're all brainwashed morons. I understand that now. I don't see why I did not see that before…"

"Y-Yuri, listen!"

"There's nothing to listen to anymore, Father. Once this mission is over, and I find out what that dragon is up to, I'm gone."

"B-but what about your mission?" Abel shouted, starting to feel more frustration than fear now. Trying to reason with Yuri was like trying to calm an angry bull, or trying to stop a child from having a tantrum.

"I've learned all there is to know about this horrible country. I don't want to know anymore. As soon as I get back…I'll accept my fate. That's what a proud dragon does…" he looked away.

"You don't mean that, Yuri. You don't mean any of it," Abel said, his voice starting to soften. Everything Yuri was saying hurt him horribly. It was like being stabbed in the heart dozens of times. Yuri was a cold person sometimes, but this…this was different.

"I don't mean it?!" Yuri snarled. "How would you know, Father? All of you are so stupid. How can you all trust someone you don't know; someone like me? You've seen my record, so you know what I'm capable of doing. What if I decided to kill you right now, Abel? What would you do?" His hands tightened around the collar of Abel's robes.

Abel coughed, feeling his airway become restricted. "Y-Yuri, s-stop! This…this isn't you!" he coughed out, trying to struggle out of his grip. Despite the fact that Yuri was smaller than him, his strength matched that of a Methuselah.

"This isn't me? What are you talking about? We've only known each other for three months. How could you really know me, Father?"

Abel coughed again, his struggling slowly ceasing. "I know, because I've seen how kind you can be…" he wheezed.

Yuri's eyes widened slightly, and his jaw tightened, fighting back an emotion Abel wish he could understand. "Shut up…"

"Yuri, you're not a bad person. You might think I'm stupid for thinking this…but I do trust you. If killing me will make you feel better…then go ahead."

Abel could feel the grip on his collar loosen considerably. Now he could breathe properly without having to suck in a lot of air at one time.

Tears welled up in Yuri's eyes, and all Abel could do was stare with his mouth slightly agape.

"Why…why are you so kind?" Yuri whispered.

Abel stared at him, shocked. Yuri looked absolutely distraught…and it greatly upset him. He had never seen Yuri so vulnerable…and it was all because of him. "I don't know…"

Yuri looked away, his hand still tightly holding Abel suspended in air before shoving him against the wall. Though it still hurt, Abel knew that Yuri had been holding back. Even in that time of his rage, he still could not bring himself to truly hurt him.

"This is where it ends, Father," he said softly as if afraid to speak any louder. "After this, I'm heading back to accept my punishment…" Yuri turned, and left the room, leaving Abel alone to handle his own outer and inner pain.

Abel stared at the door for a good minute, slowly sliding his back against the wall until he was sitting on the floor. "Yuri…"

* * *

"You're late, Abel! I swear you're never on time! What's wrong with you?" Sister Kate barked, glaring daggers at Abel. 

Abel rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Sister Kate. I took a little nap, and well…you know…well…"

Sister Kate sighed loudly, shaking her head before a soft smile appeared on her face. "I don't want to hear anymore of your rambling. Just come inside."

Abel chuckled, rubbing his head again before stepping inside. "Sister, has Yuri come by?"

"Yes…he came earlier. He seemed upset, but I think it's because of all this dragon business…the poor boy."

Abel nodded.

"He's in one of the guest rooms drinking tea. I can give you his room number if you want."

"No, that's quite all right. I'll leave him alone for now. I think that's what he would want."

"Yes, I think that's a good idea too," Sister Kate replied, clearly pleased with Abel's answer.

Sister Kate led him to an empty room and left him alone after that. She seemed to have sensed there was more going on with Abel and Yuri than he let be known, but she was a considerate person, and thus decided to probably not bring it up. Abel could have thanked her; if he was not scared she would find a way to sneak a question in.

Abel walked over to the window and watched as the ship began to rise into the air. It was an amazing feeling, and amazing to watch everything getting smaller and smaller in the distance. However…Abel could not concentrate on the scenery. His mind kept shifting back to Yuri and what Sister Kate had said.

"_He was seemed upset…"_

_It's my fault…_Abel thought. Though it really was not his fault for telling the truth, perhaps he could have done it a little nicer. But…Yuri never listened to him…and from what he heard, Yuri had never completely trusted him either.

_Was he always suspicious and fearful of me? I…never noticed…_

Abel closed his eyes and laid his forehead against the cold surface of his window. His heart ached, and he did not know why it was so painful.

* * *

The whole flight, Abel had not seen Yuri. He had been tempted at the beginning of the trip to find him and talk, but hesitated out of fear that Yuri would snap on him during the flight and get them both in trouble. It was best to leave him alone for now, just as he had said to Sister Kate. 

When they arrived in the "floating" city, Sister Kate gave them two reservation tickets for the Ca' Pozzo Inn. Abel had been there before, and had to admit that the rooms were rather pricey. Just looking at the name made him cringe at how much Caterina must have spent. There was not going to be any luxurious chocolate cakes this time…

"Be careful you two. This mission is the first dangerous one you've had, Yuri."

Yuri nodded slowly, looking away.

Sister Kate seemed bothered by his silence, but did not say anything about it. "Abel, you're the senior in these types of problems, so be on your toes and make sure nothing happens to Yuri. If things look like they're going to be trouble, contact us as soon as you can and get out there."

"Don't worry, Sister!" Abel chuckled. "I'll make sure we're both ok."

Sister Kate nodded before sending them off, a small frown slowly creeping onto her usual happy expression.

The inn was close by, so they did not have to walk miles to get there, or even borrow a boat. Abel was glad for that. Yuri's silence bothered him. That, and the fact that Yuri absolutely refused to look his way, and kept a great distance from him.

Abel sighed. Where did it go wrong? Was Yuri always showing signs of regret, and distrust? How could Abel had not seen it? Why did he wait until things always became bad before he attempted to fix things? Perhaps…he was a hypocrite like Yuri said. _No, don't think like that…_he told himself.

By the time they reached the inn, the sun was beginning to set, casting a soft golden glow over the city. It was a breathtaking sight for anyone who had not truly seen a sunset in Vienna, but…Yuri did not seem at interested in that. All he cared about was, "getting to his room and going to sleep."

As soon as they entered the inn and the innkeeper saw them, he nodded and had a young woman lead them to their rooms, no questions asked. It was amazing how much influence the Church had. Then again, Abel was close to those who worked there.

"Well, here you two are. If you have any problems or questions, please don't be shy and tell us." The woman said with a large smile, handing Abel a key.

"Thank you. We'll remember that," Abel replied, smiling just as jovially back.

The woman blushed furiously and quickly scampered off, leaving the priests alone.

"Well let's…" Abel trailed off, watching as Yuri walked into the room. "Uh…erm…nevermind…" He sighed, following after him. "So, uh, Yuri, what do you want to do?"

"Sleep," he said, walking over to the bed closest to window and laying down.

"Well…if that's what you want to do…" Abel said sadly. He might as well rest as well and work tonight. Even if the dragon in question was suicidal, it did not want to be seen during the day. "I guess I'll sleep too."

Yuri scoffed. "Whatever. Do what you want."

Abel sighed, looking at Yuri's back. "Later tonight we'll go get information on that dragon. Is that all right?" All Abel received for an answer was silence. Either Yuri had already gone to sleep in that split second, or he was ignoring him. The second choice seemed more logical.

"Good night…I guess…" he whispered, lying on the bed near the wall.

* * *

Yuri waited patiently until Abel's breathing became labored, and the sun had fallen completely before he crawled out of bed and headed towards the door. He did not want the priest to put his life in danger. The dragon was trouble. Yuri's instincts told him so. Trying to explain this to that naïve priest would only make him angry again. Yuri had not meant to be so rough earlier…or so harsh. Emotions were troublesome. Abel was the only one who had ever been truly honest with him, and it touched him. This emotion he felt when he was near Abel was confusing, so much so that it scared and frustrated him. 

He looked over his shoulder one more time before leaving. This would probably be the last time he saw Abel. Once the dragon was disposed of, he would send information on what the dragon told him to Abel and then…

"Good bye…Abel…" he said quietly, slowly closing the door behind him and walking away. This was the end. Soon he would complete his mission and go back to a country that did not want him back. He would be executed if he was lucky for not completing his mission, put in the Eternal Prison if he wasn't. He could feel his heart get heavier the further he got from his room. Why did his heart hurt so much?

----

Yuri had to gain information from people randomly walking the streets. Of course most of these people were drunkards or thieves coming out to try and take money from tourists that were still about, but it was better than nothing.

"Yuri is it?" A hoarse voiced called.

Yuri stopped, slowly looking over his shoulder. Standing a few yards away with a walking stick was a foxed eyed man with scars on his face, and crazy black hair that somewhat resembled a wig on his head. "What do you want? Are you going to tell me where the dragon is?"

"Is that what that monster is? A dragon?"

Yuri nodded. "Yes, it would appear so."

"A dragon, huh? Weird…that a beast like that would be here…"

"Whatever," Yuri said, cutting the discussion off. "Where is this dragon?"

"Uh…" the man scratched his head. "Before I tell you anything…you're not one of this Inquisitorial people are you? I was told not to talk to any of 'em…not that I wanted to. They're not exactly nice folk."

"No, I'm not. So I can guess you're a member of Fleur du Mal?"

"A member of what? Is that that vampire faction? Hell no, boy! Jesus, why would a human sign up for something like that? They'd drink me dry in no time."

Yuri turned so he did not have his back to the strange looking man. "Then…why are you talking to me?"

"I met some weird man who told me you knew how to get rid of that monster. Is that true?"

"I…uh…yes, sure."

The man beamed. "Excellent! Listen up, boy. You can find the man who told me this over in the old water treatment facility downtown. It's pretty much empty in there now, so it's a good place to go and make uh…deals, if you know what I mean…at least until the city decides to take it down."

Yuri nodded. "Is that the only reason you're telling me this? To help your city?"

"Well…no not really. I was paid to tell you where to go. A little money can do a lot for a poor man like me, if you know what I mean." The man smiled, but Yuri did not smile back.

"Whatever. How did you know what I looked like, and that I would be here?"

"I was given a description, and well…you are the only priest wandering about, so I assumed it must be you. Besides, some of my friends told me about you. They said you were a cold priest who was looking for some information on the beast."

Yuri ignored the 'cold' comment. "Have you seen anyone from the Department of Inquisition wandering about today, or lately for the matter?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Eh? Nope. Apparently this mess with the dragon is considered superstition since they've been doing investigations on the area for three days and haven't found anything. However I swear to you we all know what we've seen."

Yuri was silent for a while, and then turned and began walking away without another word.

"Be careful, boy! That monster has not eaten anyone yet, but you can't be too sure!" The man watched him go, and then slowly began to shuffle down the street towards his usual drinking spot. He hoped that kid would be fine. It seemed priests were getting younger and younger.

* * *

It did not take much for Yuri to get information on the exact location of the old water facility. The few people he asked knew exactly where it was, and wanted to stay as far from it as possible due to the criminal activities that were said to take place there. 

The factory the man had spoken of was an utter dump, even to Yuri who had not seen a water treatment plant since he was just a little dragon. It seemed that no one in their right mind would live anywhere near it. Humans were naturally afraid of the unknown, and looking at the factory, Yuri understood why it was avoided. The building spoke of thievery, murder, and a many other horrible things. Judging by what the people had told him, not even the police wanted anything to do with it. This was a perfect place to hide…or create a trap for someone.

Yuri sighed, and shook his head. It was now or never…though he did not want to do this alone there was no choice. He could not---no, would not put Abel's life in danger. He could not bear it if the silly priest got himself hurt…and for someone like him.

Forcing his fear in the back of his mind, Yuri walked inside the abandoned facility. The place was old on the outside, but on the inside, it looked as if it had been used recently. The treatment plant did not seem as dirty as he would have thought. The further he got into the plant, the more his nose became assaulted with the smell of burnt flesh, and even the steam of boiling water. It was such a strange combination, that Yuri was sure he had found the right place.

Soon he came to a room full of rows and rows of water. He was tempted to step out. After all, if the dragon was indeed as hostile as he thought, fighting in a water environment was not a good idea.

"Yuri, right?" A sharp commanding voice called from somewhere in the room.

Instantly, Yuri reached into his robe for the gun he had been given by Sister Kate hours ago. Using a gun was a bit primitive to him, but he doubted he wanted to get close to the dragon…wherever it was.

"Where are you?!" Yuri called, looking around. There were so many places the dragon could be hiding.

"Right here." A whoosh of air behind Yuri startled him into quickly turning, however the dragon already had a strong grip around his neck. "So you're Yuri? You're just a kid."

Yuri coughed, trying to get out of the man's powerful grip. He could feel his vision growing blurry, but the urge to stay alive kept him struggling.

"You got spirit…" the man said almost fondly before tossing him as if he was a doll.

Yuri landed with a loud thump, coughing and gagging for air.

"You wanted to talk to me didn't you? I'm pleased to finally meet a fellow dragon, even if he is dressed like a priest." The man waited patiently for Yuri to stop coughing before he spoke again. "My name is Gabrys Firlej. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Once Yuri's coughing fit was over, he finally had a chance to really see his attacker. It was a handsome man with blonde hair and eyes as blue as the sea. Only a dragon could have eyes such a dark color as that. Of course humans that had not been around them would never know the difference.

"F-Firlej? You're from a high ranking noble family aren't you? Generations worth…"

"That's right. Of course outside Poland such a name is nothing." Gabrys began to slowly step towards Yuri, languidly like a cat about to kill a mouse.

"H-How many people did you kill here?" Yuri asked as he slowly began to reach into his robe again.

"Eh? Just a bunch of low lives. They were snooping about and it bothered me so…well, now they're dead. Do you like the decorations?" Gabrys pointed at the ceiling.

Yuri was confused by that statement, until he looked up. Stuck on the ceiling were eight burnt corpses, a testament as to where that burnt smell was coming from. "You…you monster!" he said, looking at Gabrys as if he was some new creature. He was disgusted that Gabrys would put the people on the ceiling like that. What was even worse was how he got them up there in the first place.

Gabrys stopped, laughing ecstatically. "Such a cliché word! I've heard that so many times that it's quite a bore. Think of something a bit more original, friend."

"I'm not your friend, and that's the only word to describe a poor excuse for a dragon like you!" Yuri knew what was going to happen and quickly pulled out his gun, missing Gabrys by a fraction of a second.

The man jumped in front of him, hands turned into horrible clawed talons. As quickly as he was able to go, Yuri ducked, punching Gabrys as hard he could. The dragon coughed, laughing insanely as he jumped away.

"Very good! Very good! You have some good reflexes."

"W-What the hell is wrong with you!" Yuri shouted, more terrified than he had ever felt. This dragon was an experienced soldier. There was no way in hell he could handle him by himself.

"Want to know why I wanted to meet you? Because I wanted to see how tough Lucyna's new generation of dragons were. You're not bad, but you don't have the killing spirit. I guess Lucyna has changed her old ways of teaching." Gabrys rubbed his chin. "How utterly unfortunate. There's no way you'll live long with such a horrible fighting style. The Elder has gotten too soft in these past three hundred years."

"Shut up!" Yuri screamed, shooting at the dragon with reckless abandon. His bullets never hit their mark, a wall of water shot in front of Gabrys, blowing the silver bullets away as if they were nothing. All Yuri could do was stare. What sort of dragon was this?! Such power was unheard of!

"Shocked, huh? I don't see why."

"Just shut up!"

"Psh, you don't have to be so rude." Gabrys smirked, but it was a smile devoid of any emotion, a trait that older dragons copied flawlessly.

Yuri panted, looking at him angrily, but his glare only made Gabrys smile even more.

"All right, now that you're calmer, let me---," Yuri didn't wait to hear what he had to say before standing up as fast as he could, and bolting towards the exit. He could hear Gabrys shout and water rushing towards him; he could almost feel it breathing down his neck like a living creature before he did a quick swerve, getting out the way of the incoming rush. The impact of water crashing against metal made him lose his balance and almost fall into the water below him.

"Bastard, you could at least listen to what your seniors have to say!" The humor in his voice did not leave, and only made Yuri all the more terrified. Gabrys was playing with him. If he had wanted to kill Yuri already, he could have done it without much trouble.

Yuri ran into a corner protected by a large metal pole. It served as a type of shield…though he knew it would not be too much help if Gabrys decided to run over to him.

"Aww, come on! You're boring me, kid!"

"What is it you really want?!" Yuri screamed back.

"What is it I really want…?" Gabrys trailed off, as if asking himself a question. "I just told you didn't I?"

"No, that was a lie. I'm no fool!"

Gabrys laughed. "You'll see, you'll see…that is if you stay alive."

Yuri heard his feet against the metal walkway as Gabrys began to run towards him. Jumping out of the way, he moved just in time before the metal pillar was smashed, causing the railing above him to begin to collapse.

"Shit!" Yuri shouted, running of the way before he got crushed. He ducked, instincts telling him to do so. Thankfully he had followed their advice. Gabrys had almost completely taken his head off with a powerful punch towards his head. Swiftly, Yuri roundhouse kicked the dragon away.

Gabrys' laughed insanely once again before running towards Yuri with that still playful smirk on his face.

"Bastard, this isn't a fucking game!" Yuri yelled, quickly grabbing some gloves from his robe, only having a chance to put one on before he was forced to dodge once again, landing on another metal walkway, turning just in time to move out the way of a powerful ax kick that destroyed where he was a moment before.

He growled, sharp claws coming out of the knuckle of his glove as he slashed, slicing Gabrys' side. The dragon yelled in agony, grabbing Yuri's wrist and lifting him off the ground, tossing him towards another metal walkway, his back hitting the railing almost completely breaking it. Yuri lay there, tired, and bleeding. He had never fought so hard in his life. The smell of blood was making him sick to the point that he threw up; coughing up the drink he had had earlier on the _Iron Maiden_. The feeling of something coming up his throat was disgusting and only made him even sicker.

"Not bad. You're fast, and clever, but you have no skill. Such a shame…with proper training you would have been a force to reckoned with. You need to get over that problem with blood though. It'll hinder your progress."

All Yuri could do was watch as Gabrys landed in front of him, smirking, and grabbing him forcefully by his neck once again. This was the end. Gabrys would snap his neck, or choke him to death. Either way, Yuri knew he was going to die…and for some reason that was ok. He didn't care anymore. Actually, he welcomed death.

"I'm sorry…Abel…" he whispered, closing his eyes so he did not have to see Gabrys' smug expression before he died. Yuri regretted not apologizing to the priest when he had a chance. Now, it was too late.

"Yuuuuuuri!"

Yuri opened his eyes, feeling Gabrys drop him and move away. The sound of gun shots assaulted his ears, but Yuri couldn't move. Though his vision was somewhat blurry he could see something that looked very familiar a few feet away…Abel.

"A-Abel…w-what are you doing here?" he coughed out, trying to stand up. Instantly, Abel was by his side, his eyes still glued on where Gabrys was as he stood in front of Yuri like a living shield.

"Shh, don't talk, Yuri. I'm here to help you. Just rest now. I'll handle this."

"So that's Abel, huh?" Gabrys said with a tinge of curiosity. "A _human_? Don't tell me you're _companions_ with a human! Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting!" the dragon's jovial words soon turned cold and hateful. "I'll kill the both of you without regret."

Abel lifted his gun, firing at the dragon, but he had jumped into the water disappearing beneath.

Abel grabbed Yuri, throwing him over his right shoulder as he began running towards the end of the walkway. It was almost as if he sensed what was about to happen. It seemed his intuition was right. A gigantic reptilian creature burst of the water taking a huge bite out of the railing, leaving a large gapping hole in place.

"Abel…you…you can't fight him like this…in this area…it's too…" Yuri trailed off, too tired to speak anymore.

"Yuri please hang on! Don't go to sleep! Stay awake!"

Yuri forced his eyes open, though sleep seemed much better than all this chaos and noise. What he wouldn't do to just close his eyes again…

"I know it seems nice to sleep Yuri, but you mustn't! Please keep your eyes open!" Abel laid Yuri against the wall, caressing his cheek gently, as if trying to calm a child before running off, firing shots at the water. "Kill me first, and then you can have Yuri!"

The dragon poked its head out of the water, laughing a horrid guttural sound. When it spoke it was like hearing two voices at once, Gabrys' and someone with a deep baritone of a voice, too deep to belong to any living creature. "Very well. It's no fun killing what's about to die anyway!" Gabrys swam towards Abel with such a speed that no normal human could register it, but Abel had quickly jumped on top of the creatures back, firing silver bullets straight into its hide before falling into the water.

Gabrys howled in agony, the sound more terrible than anything Yuri had ever heard. He watched as the monster turned, its deep blue eyes glaring at Abel as it swam towards him with its inhuman speed. Abel lifted his gun firing again, hitting him in one of his eyes, before he was devoured.

"A-Abel!" he screamed despite his bodies protesting of it. He felt renewed energy at the death of his friend, as well as uncontrollable rage. He had never felt such hatred towards his fellows before, nor the urge to kill any of them. Yuri couldn't even feel sadness at that moment, all he saw was red. "Y-You bastard!" He fought to stand, succeeding for a while before his legs gave out again. How could the monster still be alive?! No living creature could survive a shot in the eye with a silver bullet, especially a dragon. The chemicals were lethal just like it was with a Methuselah. Gabrys should have been dead.

"Damnit…you idiot…you weren't supposed to die," Yuri said, shaking his head, trying to keep tears from welling up in his eyes. Crying was shameful. No proud dragon cried…or at least that's why his father had told him. Crying was a disgusting thing that only weak minded people did; not warriors like him. Too bad he didn't feel like one right about now. Warriors could protect their friends…something he could not do.

Gabrys was silent for a while, and then spoke, his voice devoid of any humor. It sounded a bit pensive, or even sad. "You really cared about that priest didn't you? Heh…you shouldn't cry in front of an enemy. It will be used against you."

"S-Shut up!" Yuri screamed. "You have no right to talk to me!"

Gabrys laughed mirthlessly, blood gushing out of his shot right eye as he swam towards Yuri with an open mouth. "Your friend was pretty tough for a human, but it wasn't enough! I'm sorry little dragon, but it's time to go!"

The beast was close, almost a few feet away before it stopped, howling in agony and thrashing about in the water. Yuri stared, terrified, and appalled at the beast's strange behavior. He watched as it sunk into the water, as if trying to fight some invisible foe. Silence filled the giant room as Yuri watched and waited. Soon, Gabrys head poked out of the water, blood pooling around him. Yuri fought the urge to throw up and look away.

Something inhuman came out of the water. It was a human-like creature that seemed to be surrounded by darkness. In its right hand, it held a monstrous scythe the color of blood itself. Yuri felt more fear seeing this new creature than he did fighting Gabrys, and apparently, the dragon felt just as terrified.

"W-What are you?" Gabrys said, his voice strained as if speaking hurt. He swam backwards away from the creature before him.

"I am a Crusnik, a vampire that drinks the blood of vampires," the creature replied, it's voice just as terrifying as its appearance. There was something familiar about this creature, but Yuri's mind was getting foggy from a loss of too much blood. Every time he tried to think, his thoughts seemed to float away as if they had never existed.

Gabrys' fear seemed to subside a bit before he spoke again, though his words were becoming less and less understandable. "Another one…I hear that the leader of the Orden is a monster like you…" the dragon swam further away, and then unleashed a gush of fire from its maw. Whatever that Crusnik creature was, Yuri was sure it would not survive.

Yuri's vision got blurry again, and sharp pain ran through his body once again. All the energy he had felt at Abel's death disappeared at the moment. He no longer cared what a Crusnik was…or where it even came from for that matter. Yuri could almost hear Abel shouting in his mind to stay awake, but…he just couldn't anymore. "If there is a heaven…and you can hear me Abel…I'm sorry…I would tell you this in person…but I don't think I'll be going where you are…" Yuri slowly closed his eyes, hearing the inhuman shriek of a creature being wounded before everything got dark.

_**

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_**Author note: **_I must say this is the best chapter I have written in this whole fanfic... so far anyway. xD It was so hard writing all that action, since I specialize in dialogue between characters rather than physical interaction. I hope I did it well…

Well, hope to hear from you guys!


	27. Ashton

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Soupcan - **Thanks for the help! I thought that sentence sounded odd, but I couldn't come up with a word that would fit. I guess I should have put "understandable" or something simple like that. The chapter has been corrected now. Well, this chapter sorta branches off away from Yuri and Abel for now. It's mainly about what the others are up to.

**Crusnik02 - **LoL. I responded via email, so...yay! xD

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_**Chapter Twenty-Two: Ashton**_

Esther sighed, following after Father William as he began talking about how nice the evening was, and that it would be a wonderful time to go and drink a nice cup of tea. How could Caterina pair her off with him? What if something dangerous happened? Father William surely would not be much help. _I would have felt safer with Father Tres._

"So, is this Patrick fellow decent?"

"D-Decent?" Esther said, breaking out of her thoughts.

"Yes, I mean, is he a nice person?"

"Oh, yes he's pretty nice. He got nervous when me and Abel appeared at his door, but I guess because he's not used to priests and nuns stopping by to visit him."

William laughed. "Most people aren't used to any people from the church coming to their houses unless something bad happened or they were considered heretics."

"Uh…oh I see. Well no wonder he was terrified! The poor thing…" Esther said, starting to feel guilty. She did not mean to scare their potential information source.

"I'm sure he's fine. Sister Esther, do you remember what his house number is?"

Esther gasped, looking embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, Father! I was just following you around. Oh, I feel so foolish…" she reached into her pocket and took out an address. "His house number is 1920."

"Ah, the 1920s. Much happened to the world during that time. According to all I've learned, those times were quite a chaotic one. With war going on and---." Esther blocked him out. He always did this whenever something triggered his memory. She would have listened, if she was even a little bit interested in ancient history.

"Sister, are you listening to me? This is pretty important stuff."

"Why of course, Father! I always was interested in ancient history, but we really don't have time for this I'm afraid. We both have to keep our eyes open for that number after all." A smooth lie, but then again Esther always was good at lying…though she was often scolded for it.

"Yes, yes, you're quite right, Sister Esther. Forgive me. I do tend to get sidetracked sometimes."

Esther waved her hand. "Oh it's no problem! We all do that sometimes."

"Well…hmm…it seems we're getting closer to the residence right?" William said, looking around. They were in the 1900's now. It was only a matter of time.

"Yes it would appear so. I do hope he's home and has not run away…that wouldn't be good."

"Run away? Why in the world would he do something like that?"

"Well…he did seem rather nervous when Abel and I were there, like he was being watched or something."

William stared ahead, chewing on the end of his pipe in deep thought. "That does not sound good. We need to hurry, Esther." With that said, he quickly picked up his pace.

"W-Wait, Father!" Esther called running after him.

* * *

"You're finally here, Father Leon. It's about time." 

Leon snorted, scratching his shaggy man. "Well…it was pretty hard to get here when you have police officers barking at you about protocol and whatnot. It took a while to get things straight."

Caterina nodded, smiling. "Well, you got here in record time at least."

"Yeah well…anything to get out of that hell hole."

Caterina's smile faded somewhat. She was sad that Leon had to go back to jail every now and then, but there was nothing she could do. "I have a job for you and Father Watteau. It involves escorting Ayden to a different facility, a much safer one."

Leon blinked. "He's not safe here?"

"No. Francesco has discovered many things we have been up to, and well…he's not happy."

"When is he _ever _happy?" Leon grumbled, receiving a chuckle but a soft reprimand from Caterina.

"Now, now, Leon, you know better than to speak of the Cardinal in such a way."

"Yes I know. Sorry about that. So, he knows now, huh? Does that mean he's going to execute the kid?"

"No," Havel said, stepping in for Caterina. "Oddly enough, he does not know much about him, if nothing at all. We would like it to stay that way."

"Which is why me and Hugue are taking the little troublemaker…"

Havel and Caterina nodded in unison.

"All right, I'll get right on it now. But uh….where's Hugue?"

"He should be in the garden meditating," Havel replied. "He said he would wait for you."

Leon smirked. "Good ol' Hugue! Well, I'll go get Ayden and meet up with him."

"Good. Ayden should be with Sister Antonella in the library. I set him to work at pretending to be a youngster interested in learning the ways of priesthood."

Leon laughed, the sound filling Caterina's office like a bomb exploding. "I bet he's not happy."

"On the contrary, he says it's not so bad," Haval said, chuckling. "What he hates is having to read the bible and go to classes with other children…considering he's well…not really a child despite his looks."

Leon released another one of his loud laughs, and Caterina had to try and stifle hers. His laugh always was contagious, though extremely hard on the ears in small rooms.

"Before I go, I have one more question. Where do I go with the kid?"

"Hugue knows. Just follow him," Caterina replied.

Leon scratched his head again and nodded. "All right. See you all later!" He waved and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind him.

* * *

Esther wrung her robes in her hands nervously before knocking firmly on Patrick's door. It was about 10:00 p.m when they got there, so Esther hoped she did not wake him…though most people stay up later than that from what she had seen, some liked to go to bed early. 

The two clergymen waited patiently before the door opened slightly and a man with slicked back red hair answered the door. "Esther?"

She nodded. "Hello, Patrick! We're here to ask you a little bit more questions about well…you know."

Patrick looked a bit nervous, but nodded nevertheless. "Where's Abel?"

"He had another job to do," William said, speaking for Esther. "By the way Mister Patrick, my name is William Wordsworth. It's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed slightly. William must have looked quite impressive with his pipe in his mouth and his cultured way of speaking. Anyone who did not know him would have thought he was from a noble family or that he was a genius…which of course he was.

"Hello, Father Wordworth. Um…uh…come inside." He waved the two of them in and showed them to his living room. It was as spotless as ever…a bit too spotless really.

"So, what do you know, Mister Patrick?" William asked sitting down and getting straight to the point.

"I-I already told you people."

"We know, Patrick, but we need a little more information. This is very important," Esther said kindly.

Patrick sighed, sinking down in a soft plush leather chair. "All right…I understand. Is this man---is he dangerous?"

"Uh…" Esther looked at William. Should they tell him? It would frighten him if they said that the person his friend was taking care of was a bloodthirsty werewolf from an insane faction that hated humans. Such a story would probably make him have a stroke.

"Well, we can't be sure. We just want to ask him a few questions about what happened to him."

Patrick sighed again, but it was more a sigh of relief than anything. "That's good. I thought that that man was dangerous…though he is a little odd I might say."

"Odd?" William said, raising an elegant eyebrow.

"Yes. He does not like to be touched, nor does he really like to be alone in the dark. It seems to terrify him for some reason…also he rambles a lot about strange things…"

"S-Strange things?" Esther said, gulping slightly. "What are these strange things?"

Patrick was starting to get nervous again. "H-He just says things like, "they're going to hurt me again," or, "how am I going to make up this failure?" It's…frightening really. We think that he might be in some serious trouble, but…well…Bella won't kick him out. She says it's wrong to not help him recover…"

William was silent, chewing on the end of his pipe as he stared at the tiled floor. "Where does your friend live?"

"I…I can lead you there if you want," Patrick replied, standing up.

"That would be lovely, thank you," William said, standing as well. "By the way Patrick, may I say your Italian is impeccable."

Patrick smiled gently. "So you know that I'm British then?" William nodded. "Yes, it was difficult…but I eventually learned the language with the thanks of Bella. If it wasn't for her…" he trailed off, staring at the floor.

Esther watched, and waited, but Father William was already walking towards the door. "Shall we be going?" he said, smiling over his shoulder.

When Leon picked up Ayden, he was busy having a heated discussion with Sister Antonella over a story from the bible. Leon, not wanting to be mixed up in the mess waited for a while, but when it seemed they weren't going to stop talking, he stepped in.

"Heeeeey, Sister Antonella! Long time no see!" he bellowed, frightening everyone in the room. All the priests and nuns sitting at tables reading stared at him like deer caught in the headlights. Leon oh so loved doing that.

"Leon! You know better than to shout in the library!" Sister Antonella bellowed back, frightening the priests and nuns even more.

Leon always liked Sister Antonella. She was so fun to pick on, and so easy to get along with, that he just couldn't help but rile her feathers.

Antonella was an elderly nun with salt and pepper hair. It was odd imagining the church without her. She was like the silent mother figure…or well, the bickering hen that always put everyone in check like a good mother should. All in all, she was loved by all.

"Sorry about that, Sister. How are you two today?" he said, looking back and forth between Ayden and Antonella as he walked closer.

"We are just fine. Ayden and I were having a little discussion a while ago. Perhaps you would like to join us since you _rudely_ interrupted it?"

Leon held his hands up in a peace gesture. "No thanks, Sister. I've just come to pick up Ayden. We've found a relative of his that wants him to come back home. Apparently they don't rather like the idea of him becoming a catholic."

"Oh…is that so?" Sister Antonella said, a bit of sadness in her voice. "Well…" she turned and looked down at Ayden. "It was a pleasure meeting you, child."

Ayden seemed a bit sad himself, but smiled. "Same here, Granny. When I get older I'll come back here and train to become a catholic priest, even if my parents disagree with it."

"D-Don't call me granny…" She said, sniffing and grabbing Ayden in a tight bear hug. "You were a little monster, but I'll certainly miss you."

Ayden smiled softly, hugging her back. "I'll miss you too…"

Leon watched the exchange with mixed emotions, and for once, feeling a bit guilty. If Abel had not been with him…he might have killed Ayden once he had seen he was a vampire. He would have destroyed one of the good ones…though naughty as he was.

When the two were done saying their goodbyes and heartfelt feelings, Leon waved goodbye to Antonella, grabbed Ayden's hand and led him out of the library.

"I'll never see her again…" Ayden whispered, as they walked down the hallway.

"No…you probably won't, kid," Leon replied softly.

Ayden tightened his grip on Leon's hand and did not say anything more the whole way to the garden, and Leon chose not to say anything back.

-----

The garden was a bit dark, though there were light posts here and there, built for the pope if he ever wanted a midnight stroll under the moonlight. It was interesting to think that generations of popes had set foot in that garden as a place of resting and meditation, but Leon had been there so many times, that he ceased thinking of such things.

"Huuugue! Wheeeere aaaare yooou!"

"Stop that bellowing, Leon," a calm voice said a few feet away.

Leon looked around. Hugue was right next to him with his eyes still closed and looking much like the epitome of eternal calm.

"You're such a boar," Ayden mumbled, glaring at Leon with those light hazel eyes of his. "I was going to tell you he was right there before you started yelling like a moron. I swear you don't act professional at all."

Leon glared down at him and squeezed his hand. "Be quiet you." Coughing, he turned to address Hugue. "Well, are you ready to go?"

Hugue nodded, opening his eyes and standing up. "Hurry, we must leave now. You've wasted a lot of time." Leon was going to send a retort back, but Hugue was already walking away.

"Geez, everyone's in such a damn hurry."

"Where are you two taking me?" Ayden asked, blinking up at him.

"Erm…not sure. Apparently the Cardinal thinks it's dangerous for you to stay at the church anymore, so well…she's putting you in a safer location."

"A safer location, huh?" he said, not really asking a question.

Leon nodded, throwing Ayden over his shoulder in a piggy back ride.

"W-What the hell?! What's with you?!"

"Be quiet! Your legs are too short. Hugue's walking like a mad man so this is the only way I can think of catching up to him."

Ayden mumbled something that sounded remarkably like, "fool," and, "idiot," as Leon ran to catch up with Hugue.

"Hugue! Where are we headed?"

"To a friend of the Professors," was the soft answer.

"A friend? Why didn't he ever say anything about having friends in the city OH! You mean _her_?"

"Yes," was the simple answer.

Leon scoffed. "You and Yuri are so similar that it's sorta scary."

Ayden chuckled, tugging on a bit of Leon's hair in an effort to keep his balance.

"Hurry, Leon, we don't have much time," Hugue said, walking faster.

"What are you talking about?" Leon asked, but Hugue was already way ahead of him, and once again Leon was forced to jog to keep up. How could anyone be so fast?

"I-Is something going to happen to me? Is that why we're in such a hurry?"

Hugue did not reply.

"Oh no…this is horrible…" Ayden moaned miserably.

"Ayden, he did not even say anything. I'm sure everything is fine. Hugue's just not much of a talker anyway."

"I-If you say so…" Ayden whispered softly.

Though Leon offered a bit of comfort to Ayden, he was not so sure of his words himself. Was something going on that Caterina had not told him? No, that could not be it. Hugue was just the type of person who wanted to get things done quickly and get them done well. Just then an answer appeared in his head. Of course they had to hurry! Ayden was wanted by the organization! They couldn't be seen running around with him for too long or trouble would start.

"Damn…" Leon whispered, ignoring Ayden's fingers tightening in his black mane once again.

* * *

"So this is the place?" William asked, staring at the large house ahead. 

"Y-Yes…Bella should be home. She gets off work at the mall at 8:00 so…she should be here."

"I see. Well, would you do the honors?" William waved his hand at the house, smiling jovially.

"Uh…yes of course. Excuse me," Patrick said walking past the two and heading towards the house. He knocked gently, and crossed his arms, waiting. Eventually the door opened and a woman poked her head out, eyeing the group nervously before slowly opening the door.

The woman was plain looking and had nothing special about her, so Esther wondered why she had the name 'Bella.' After all, usually that name was reserved for children of exceptional beauty…then again, she could have been wrong. She did not really now much about Rome.

"Patrick! What are you doing here? And…um…who are these people?"

"Uh…well…" Patrick began before looking over at William for help.

"Hello, Miss Bella! My name is William Wordsworth and this young lady with me is Esther Blanchett. We're here to ask your friend inside a few questions." William held out his hand for a handshake, which Bella happily shook.

"What? Father we're just supposed to get his location…" Esther said with a tinge of confusion laced in her voice.

"Shh, be quiet, Esther," he whispered back.

"Uh…it's nice to meet all of you," Bella said, smiling gently, but still looking a bit confused. "Is Ashton in trouble with the church?"

Patrick shook his head. "No, they just want to ask him something."

"Well…all right. Come in, come in! It must be freezing outside." Bella ushered the group inside and sat them down in chairs near a warm fire. "Now then, I'll go get Ashton. He's a little shy, so it will be difficult to get him downstairs."

"We understand," William said, smiling.

"Uh…before I go, would any of you like some caramel tea? I just boiled some water, so it would not be a problem to make you all some."

"Ah yes, that would be lovely, thank you, Miss Bella."

Bella smiled softly and nodded, walking away towards her kitchen. William waited until she was gone before he turned to Patrick.

"This Ashton…does he look like trouble?"

Patrick frowned, unsure of what to say. "Well…he sounds like a ruffian. His Italian is brutish at that, but at least he tries."

William rubbed his chin looking over at Esther who in turn shrugged his way.

Soon Bella came back in the room holding a saucer with tea cups. She passed everyone their cups of tea before heading up the stairs to get Ashton.

"Father," Esther whispered, "do you think Ashton will come quietly?"

"I'm not sure. He is a werewolf isn't he?" William whispered back, holding his hand up to cover his mouth as if he was afraid Patrick could read lips.

"Uh…yes…"

"Hmm…" William said, leaning back in his chair and chewing on the end of his pipe again. It was an annoying habit of his, but Esther realized whenever he did that, that something was bothering him, or that he was thinking really hard. After a while, he leaned back towards Esther. "I put a tracking device on Bella in case Ashton does anything. I thought it was better safe than sorry."

"Oh, the handshake…" Esther said, trailing off.

William smiled and nodded. Suddenly a loud scream caused everyone to jump in terror.

"Oh no!" Bella shrieked in horror.

Instantly William, Esther, and Patrick ran up stairs, running towards the only open door in the hallway. As soon as they burst in, Esther took out her gun and looked around. Nothing was out of the ordinary…except a messy bed.

"He's gone! Ashton should not be walking around in his condition!" Bella ran out the room, running down the stairs.

William and Esther stared at each other and frowned. He was gone. Their only hope for information was gone.

"No, no, no!" Patrick wailed, pulling on his hair. "This is terrible!"

"Don't worry, Mister Patrick we'll find Ashton," Esther said gently. She wanted to comfort him more, but William shook his head, pointing towards the door.

"Sister Esther, we need to leave now! Bella could get herself in trouble at this time of night."

"A-All right…" she said, looking back over at Patrick who was all but bawling on the floor before running out the room.

* * *

"That idiot of a man!" Marietta barked, ushering Leon, and Hugue inside her gigantic house. "Why did he send so many people here?" 

Hugue sighed. "Forgive us, Miss Marietta. It was not Father Wordsworth that sent us here, it was the Cardinal herself."

Marietta stopped her rant, her glare softening a bit. "She sent you, huh? I did not even send her my answer yet…oh well, this IS rather serious. So, that's the little one, huh?" her sharp gaze landed on Ayden who shuddered against Leon, hiding his face. Leon understood why he was so scared. Marietta was a scary, scary, woman.

"Yeah, this is the little pipsqueak. Uh…Mari, aren't you going to sit us down or something? I mean we did walk a long way…" Leon said, beaming. However, his smile never worked on her. She was the Ice Queen after all.

"Quit those stupid pet names, Leon."

Leon sighed, sitting Ayden on the ground. "Well…uh…I guess we're done with our job…" he said, glancing at Hugue.

Hugue nodded slightly, turning to leave.

"Wait a second! Who said you could leave?"

Hugue tensed slightly and Leon winced. "Uh…you didn't exactly invite us to---," Leon was cut off as quickly as a knife cutting butter.

"Enough, enough! Tell me what's going on before I take in this little Methuselah." Marietta crossed her arms and stomped up stairs.

Hugue, Leon, and Ayden all looked at each other a little nervously before following after her. If Hugue was intimidated, Leon could only imagine how Ayden felt…especially since he was going to be stuck here with that 'monster' woman.

"Uh…Father Leon, is it really a good idea for me to stay here?" Ayden whispered as he followed the two priests up the stairs.

"Yeah, it's safe. Marietta is a dangerous woman, not just because she's scary, but well…because of other things..."

"She doesn't seem human," Ayden said, lowering his voice more.

"Oh she is…though she acts inhuman at times. She may a dragon, but she's a nice woman…at times."

"S-She's a what?" Ayden said, stuttering.

Hugue looked at Leon and frowned as if displeased he had said anything at all.

"Erm…she's not really a dragon, Ayden. It's just a figure of speech," Leon said, chuckling.

"Oh…well…it's confusing, so next time use a different description," Ayden scolded, continuing his trek up the stairs as if nothing had happened.

"You're such a bossy, kid."

"And you're a blabbering baboon," he replied.

Leon despite himself, laughed.

Hugue shook his head, moving ahead of everyone at his usual quick walk. Leon did not need much prodding to know he was telling them to hurry up before Marietta went berserk on them again…something they ALL did not want.

Eventually, they made it to Marietta's favorite room in her house, her library. As soon as they entered, they took to their chairs without her telling them to. After all, they all knew she wasn't going to offer them a seat. She had said it was only common sense to sit down for a discussion.

"All right, speak up, boys. What exactly is going on?"

Hugue looked at Leon to speak, so he did. "Well, Fleur du Mal is said to be in this city, so we're uh…taking precautions I guess you could say."

"So you've brought this vam---Methuselah," she corrected, looking at Ayden apologetically, "to my house?"

"Caterina is trying to---."

"Protect him from her brother," Marietta said.

"Yep, you had that figured out pretty quick."

Marietta seemed a bit pleased with the half-compliment Leon threw her way before continuing on. "I could have told you all that that group was here. You did not have to go on an information quest, which I'm sure you've ALL gone on."

Hugue coughed and Leon grinned. Marietta was always sharp. "Do you know where they are?"

"Of course not, Leon. However, all you all had to do was ask a few locals. There are those that make deals with that group and give them money. Money doesn't grow on trees you know."

"But most of the people in the group are nobles….so they have plenty of money," Ayden replied.

"True, but those nobles don't wish to use all of their money up. The rich never do like going on spending sprees if it will be a problem for them in the future. Fleur du Mal used to get its money from the Orden before all this mess with this weapon of theirs…which none of you have really explained to me."

"Forgive us, Miss Marietta. We do not really know much about that weapon ourselves. All we know is that it's still under construction," Hugue said, finally speaking up.

Marietta rubbed her chin, crossing her arms and glancing down at her sleeping hound on the floor.

In a city full of humans, a vampire's scent is the easiest to find; much like trying to find a cat in a sea of dogs. All you all needed was a hound."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "What? You want us to use Conrad?" he also glanced down at the dog.

"Heaven's no! You're not putting my dog in jeopardy! But honestly, Caterina thinks too hard. This would have been a simple solution."

"Well…why didn't you tell her all this? It would have saved her a lot of heartache," Ayden grumbled.

Marietta stared at Ayden so hard, he was forced to look away. "Because I shouldn't have to. That woman of steel was wise for not using such a solution anyway. I said it was simple. That does not mean that it would have been a good idea. Besides, it would have been suspicious having a dog sniffing around the city. My goodness you all take my word so seriously. Such a plan like that would have never worked."

Right then in there, it was obvious why Marietta and William were such close friends. They were both deep thinkers who often said things that…honestly did not need to be said. Though Leon had to admit, she caught him with that discussion. He was honestly starting to think that it might be a good idea…if not a really strange one.

"Then why the hell did you tell us that? You're being confusing again," Leon grumbled, but he looked away innocently when he received a piercing glare from Marietta.

"Because I want you fools to think, that's why! Hugue, for shame! I thought you at least would have realized I was testing you."

Hugue coughed once again. "I did. I just chose not to say anything."

Marietta stood up, and walked over to her window. "So, what is Caterina doing now?"

Leon shrugged, not completely sure. All he knew was that everyone was gone when he arrived at the church.

"She sent Father Wordsworth and Sister Blanchett off to interrogate someone from the organization here in the city with a 'wolf' problem. Yuri and Father Nightroad are off to Venice handling a problem there involving a dragon…" Hugue said softly.

"Ah, I see. Wise choice, wise choice. That dragon could be of help if you can convince him to say anything. I suppose they'll have to beat him into submission to get him to talk. Is this dragon young or old?"

Leon shrugged as did Hugue.

Marietta scoffed, shaking her head. "Well, if he's young you won't have a problem…or at least too much of one. Now then about Sister Esther and William…sending them off against something like _that_ doesn't sit well with me. Esther can fight from what I've heard, and William is pretty tough for a bookworm…but still…OH I KNOW!"

Everyone jumped, including Conrad.

"Brilliant, brilliant woman! My goodness she has all this planned out! Wonderful, wonderful." Marietta laughed, shaking her head.

"Uh…mind filling us in?" Leon said in agitation.

Marietta's temporary joy evaporated in less than a second, now replaced with confusion. "Huh? What? You two are still here?"

"Erm…"

"Did you see Tres in her office, Leon?" she said, completely ignoring the fact that the sudden topic change was odd to most normal people. "I assumed you arrived late from jail since I have not seen you coming by to harass me lately."

"I was just coming to see how you were doing!" Leon barked, defending himself. "Anyway…yeah I arrived late, and no, I didn't see Tres…"

Marietta nodded, pleased with that answer. "I was right then. All right, you two are dismissed for now until further notice. I'm going to see if I have any life water here for our dear friend while you're all busy."

Ayden grimaced, and sighed.

Hugue nodded, standing up, and promptly leaving the room without another word. Leon knew the man was not going to leave him. He was probably going to be waiting downstairs.

"Uh…well, Ayden, I guess this is goodbye for now," he said, standing up and looking down at the little vampire.

"I guess so. Don't go getting yourself killed."

Leon chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Mari, take good care of him for us."

Marietta's cold scowl became a half-smile. "I told you to stop calling me those damn pet names. Don't worry about the Methuselah. I'll take good care of him. He's safer here than he is anywhere else."

Leon nodded, knowing she was right. He was safer here. "Well…see you two later." He turned, quickly leaving the room before he lingered any longer.

* * *

Esther ran as hard as she could with a heavy shotgun in her hand, which was not easy to do. Father William had placed a tracking device on Bella, she they just followed that. Though they did want to go look for Ashton, they knew that Bella was more important. If something were to happen to that woman, the Cardinal would have their heads. 

"She's stopped!" William said, staring hard at the red blinking light on his device.

"Is that good?" Esther cried.

"Yes, and no. It's hard to tell."

"How far is she?"

"She's not far. We're almost at her location to be exact."

"Good. I don't think I could bear seeing something happen to Bella…"

William did not say anything back.

The two ran for a good ten minutes before they made it to their location. Bella was standing in the middle of the street, staring straight ahead.

Esther and William stopped, both breathing hard. "Bella, are you all right?" Esther asked.

Bella shook her head. "He's gone…without even saying goodbye…"

"I'm sorry, Bella," Esther said, patting her shoulder. "Um…I guess saying goodbye was going to be very hard for him, so he couldn't do it."

Bella nodded miserably. "I wouldn't be so worried if he wasn't still hurt…"

"How bad are his wounds?" William asked, taking out his pipe from within his robe.

"They're not too bad…but he has a hard time walking far. I thought I could catch him, but he must have left earlier."

"Meaning he's still around," William said.

"Yes...meaning he's still…around…" Bella replied, confused.

"Excellent. We'll continue our search, Esther." William sounded so hopeful, that his words made Bella smile.

"May I come with you two?"

Esther glanced at William with a slight frown. Bella could get in trouble if Ashton suddenly turned violent, something no one wanted. William seemed to be thinking hard about his answer before he said it. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea."

Esther's eyes widened. "Father! We're supposed to just get his location, not confront him! Besides, we can't bring Bella! She'll get hurt!"

Bella shook her head vehemently. "No I won't. Ashton would never hurt me. He's a good person…"

Esther did not look so sure of that. She looked at William with a pleading look, hoping he would understand the severity of this whole situation.

"Yes, yes, I know, Esther. However, plans seemed to have changed. I'm sure the Cardinal will understand. I believe he won't hurt Bella. Think about it, he's been with her for…" William trailed off, staring at Bella for an answer.

"Uh…three weeks."

"Three weeks," he continued, "and he did not hurt her."

"B-But---."

"ALL that aside," William said, ignoring Esther's pouting, "let's go. We need to find him before morning and all those tourists wander about."

Esther sighed loudly, and nodded. Nothing ever went the way she wanted it to…

_**

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**__**Author note: **_Eh…yay? The climax is coming up soon. I should do like a countdown or something. xD 


	28. Questions Finally Answered

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

**Soupcan - **LoL. Sorry, there's no Abel this chapter at all. xD However, you'll get plenty of him in the next one. I just have to finish up the "Ashton arc." Bleh. I make this sound like an episode or something...o.o

**WARNING: **All right! I have to warn you guys about this chapter. Ashton talks like a sailor, if you get my drift. So, he's going to be cussing up a storm. I hope it doesn't offend anyone. All that aside...here's the chapter!

_**

* * *

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_**Chapter Twenty-Three: Questions Finally Answered**_

Ashton ran as fast as one could go with a limp through the dark alleyways of the city. His left leg still was not working as well as it should, and all because of that damned priest. What was his name again? Oh, it did not matter anymore. Ashton had to get as far away from that demonic church as he could. Going back to the organization was a no right now, especially since he was being followed by those clergymen. He knew he should have left earlier….

Ashton tripped over fallen trashcan, growling and cursing. He had such horrible luck. If he did not hurry…they would find him…

"What are you running from, friend?"

Ashton tensed, shaking. That voice...Deon? "D-Deon is that you?" he lifted his head off the ground, looking around and sniffing the air. How could he have not smelled that man earlier? He may not have been the best werewolf, but he did have an exceptionally good nose. It was only by that nose that he got away from the house in time.

"Of course it's me. Who else would it be?" Deon was standing on top of a building, looking down at Ashton pensively. He looked like he was having some type of internal struggle, but Ashton was too panic-stricken to really linger on the thought.

"I-I thought those people had found me. Deon, you have to help me!"

"Help you what? Run away? Help you hide? You have to be a bit more specific."

"Help me get out of this country! I'll lay low for a while before I ask to come back to the organization. I think it's safer that way," Ashton replied, slowly getting off the ground. He did not get far before something slammed down on his back.

He shouted in pain, biting firmly on his tongue to keep his mouth shut.

"You'll go back to the very people who have treated you like a dog?"

Ashton glared up at Deon slowly. "Of course! What else am I supposed to do? Where else am I supposed to go, D! The only thing we werewolves can do is become mercenaries or killers. If we don't we'll just get hunted down."

Deon looked away slowly as if Ashton's words hurt him. "You seemed content with that woman."

Ashton's face turned stony. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. You were falling for that human weren't you?"

"How the hell did you know where I was?"

Deon ignored him. "Is that another reason why you ran? To get away from her?"

"Shut the fuck up," Ashton snarled, trying to get up.

"I'm right, aren't I? You were afraid she would get caught by the Inquisition for keeping you…then again maybe you were just afraid you might have to kill her if she found out what you were."

"Stop talking!" Ashton barked, getting up with such power that Deon lost his balance and jumped away, watching him warily.

"You don't know anything about me! You're the fucking dog, D! I heard you're running around with the Orden like their little pet. How does it feel to get table scraps, eh, mutt?"

Deon growled, his hands balling into fists. Perhaps Ashton had gone a little too far, but Deon was being a real pain right now. "You're the mutt, Ashton. At least I'm not a shame to werewolves everywhere!"

That was the last straw! Even if Ashton was in pain he was going to push Deon out of his way using force! He snarled, transforming into a gigantic black wolf, lunging at his old friend. He had no intent on killing him, just knocking him out of the way. However, Deon simply transformed as well, knocking Ashton back against a wall, and biting firmly on his neck. Instantly the younger werewolf froze.

"D! What are you doing?!"

"Holding you here. What do you think I'm doing?" Deon replied through a mouth full of fur.

"W-Why?! Let go!" Ashton barked, trying to squirm free, but Deon's fangs sunk deeper.

"Now, now, you know I can't do that. I'll just keep you here until our priest friends appear. You better pray the Inquisition ain't with 'em."

Ashton's eyes grew wide. Deon wouldn't do something like that to him, would he?! They were comrades! Brothers in arms! "Why are you doing this, comrade?"

"I…have to."

Ashton knew even if he begged Deon would not say anything more to him. He was going to die without really having a chance to see if he could perhaps change his life for the better. No…no, he wasn't going to sit back and let Deon do this to him! Ashton struggled fiercely despite his injuries, knocking Deon off and pouncing on him before he got back up.

"Idiot, you're too damn soft, D."

Deon gasped from the impact, slightly dazed.

"No offence, comrade, but I have to kill you. No hard feelings, but I doubt you'll leave me alone." Ashton opened his jaws and lunged, but he stopped, unable to move. What was going on? It was almost as if someone was controlling his body…but that could not be it.

Deon noticed this temporary lapse and grabbed his neck, flipping him on the ground and holding him down with all his weight.

Ashton wanted to fight back, but he could feel his old wounds starting to open up again. The pain was unbearable.

"D…how could you do this to your own kind?"

Deon shook his head. "Because it's the only way to survive, Ash," he growled out.

"That's not true!" he yelped. "Werewolves stick together!"

"I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. Please understand." Deon let out a long ear-splitting howl.

"N-No, stop!" Ashton barked, trying to struggle, but his body just would not obey him.

Ashton shook. "Y-You traitor. I hope the boss hears about this…"

Deon simply growled, lifting his teeth off the werewolf's neck, and biting down on his side. Ashton yelped sharply. Once Deon was happy with his handy work, he stepped off of the scrawny werewolf, and turned back to normal, wiping blood off his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You won't be getting far now, Ash, not with those wounds."

"You…you fucking piece of shit! I…I'll kill…you…" he snarled, trying to get up. Something was seriously wrong. He could not move at all…

Deon sighed and shook his head. "You can't kill what's not here." He turned and began walking away.

"C-Come back! Stay and fight you bitch!"

Deon walked a little further before stopping and looking over his shoulder. "Oh, I almost forgot."

Ashton grit his teeth. What more could that damn wolf do?

Deon let out a loud wail of pain, and then a sharp yell. Lights from houses began to turn on, and heads poked out their windows, looking for the source of the noise nervously.

"S-Stop! Deon, stop it!"

"See ya, Ash," he said, putting his hands in his pockets and casually waking away from the scene of the crime, feeling overwhelming guilt for what he had done.

* * *

"My heaven's what's all that noise?" Bella said, looking around. 

William and Esther glanced at each other and nodded. Someone was in trouble. They had obviously found their werewolf and he had not wandered very far from Bella's residence. Hopefully all that noise did not terrify the locals into checking it out.

"Stay here, Bella!" Esther shouted, running past the bewildered woman. They had to hurry before it was too late. They could not afford for anyone to see Ashton.

"Wait!" Bella called, but she was ignored. All William and Esther could hear was that cry for help over and over in their heads.

* * *

"What the hell?" Leon said, looking up towards the sky. A wolf howl? Or was it a dog? That was a rarity… 

"Leon…" Hugue said, looking at him.

"Yeah, I know. Come on!" Leon shouting, running off in the direction he thought he heard the howl. It was close. Where was it coming from? Who knows? But it wasn't far. That's all Leon needed to know.

* * *

Ashton tried to turn back to normal, but his body was not obeying him. He had simply lost too much energy…yes, that had to be it. The scuffle with Deon had drained what was left of it. How could Deon turn on him like that? Either way, there was no escaping his fate now. No one from the organization was coming to save a runaway. If Ashton was going to die, he sure as hell was going to take a few people with him. The whole Vatican probably heard all that noise between him and that traitorous dog. If only Ashton could tell the others…then they would surely help him… 

Ashton growled, twitching his ears. This was frustrating! Sure he had lost a lot of energy, and sure his body was in pain, but he should have been able to move by now! Wait…wait a minute. Ashton's eyes widened. Dietrich! That bastard was using him like a puppet!

"Freeze, wolf!" A sharp commanding voice screamed at him.

Ashton growled, turning his head to see who had spoken. Standing feet away was a nun dressed in blue and white with fiery red hair and deep blue eyes. Even in the darkness of the alleyway, her hair stood out. She would have been very pretty if it wasn't for the fact that she was apart of the Vatican.

"Oh…uh…you can't freeze. Um…this is odd. What happened to you?" the girl asked timidly, slowly putting her gun down. It was amazing that the little nun could carry such a monstrous weapon.

"What do you want, girl?" Ashton asked angrily, glaring coldly at the girl in question.

The girl bit her bottom lip. "Are you…by chance Ashton?"

Ashton was quiet. Should he say who he was? Would it even matter? Either way there was no getting out of this. Not with Dietrich being a jerk and holding him---wait a second. Ashton twitched his tail. He could move now!

The girl stepped a little closer, holding her gun up again. "Uh…are you alive?"

_This is my chance!_ Ashton thought, jumping up and lunging for the red haired girl. The girl shrieked, completely caught off guard. She aimed her weapon and fired, missing by a hair. He could almost feel his teeth sinking into her before another bullet shot him in the side, making him fly against a wall. Where the hell had _that _come from?!

"T-Tres!" the woman cried, watching as a short man with brown hair walked towards them with his guns drawn.

Ashton tried to stand up again, but fell back down, his head lying against the cold stone ground.

"Do not move, or you will be shot again," the man said, pointing his gun straight towards Ashton's head. The werewolf did not have to be told twice. He knew that, unlike the girl, he could not catch this man off guard.

"Status report, Sister Esther Blanchett," the man said, without taking his eyes off the wolf.

"You don't' have to say my whole name Tres. Anyway, I'm fine thanks to you. Um…what are you doing here?"

"Her Eminence sent me to ensure your safety."

"Well…I'm glad you're here, but please don't shoot that werewolf anymore! He's important!"

"Acknowledged. I did not shoot him in a vital point."

Esther sighed, holding a hand to her chest in relief.

"Esther!" A man called, his footsteps getting closer. "Are you all right!"

"I'm fine, Father!" Esther called back. "The werewolf has been subdued."

The man sighed, and then tried to catch his breath. "We are going to get an earful from Caterina when we get back I can tell you that much."

"Well…it can't be helped really…"

"I suppose so. Tres? What are you doing here? Oh, wait don't answer. The Cardinal sent you didn't she?"

"Positive. She thought it be best if I watched you two and insured your safety."

"Excellent. We are glad to have your help, Gunslinger." The man took an uncertain step towards Ashton, watching him with a strange curiosity. "Ashton?"

"That's my name…" Ashton replied softly, wanting to try and get up again, but afraid that he would get shot just for attempting.

"My God, did you do this to him, Esther?"

"W-What?! No, of course not! Tres did all that!"

"Negative. My readings show that the werewolf was already severely damaged and close to death before I arrived."

The man took out a pipe and began chewing on the end of it, a thoughtful look on his face. "Who did this to you, Ashton?"

Ashton sighed, closing his eyes. "What does it matter? He'll get what's coming to him…"

Esther and the strange man were silent as if waiting for something. It was almost like being told that you were going to die by a doctor, but they were hesitating to tell you. Ashton wished that strange man who smelled like gunpowder had kept his mouth shut. He was uncomfortable with getting sad looks from people of the Vatican.

Other footsteps began getting louder and louder, grating Ashton's sensitive ears. It sounded as if two people had come. MORE Vatican members? How did they know where he was? What were the chances of looking here, in this exact place?

"Holy hell what happened?!" A man with a gruff voice said, coming from around a corner sharply, holding out chakram-like weapons. From behind him came a man with light blonde hair, and a threatening looking sword in his hand.

"Um…it's a long story really," Esther said.

Leon...Leon…that name was familiar…very familiar. Wait a second! Rage suddenly filled Ashton. Leon! That was the damn man who had put him in this sorry state! What he wouldn't do to rip that man limb from limb! Too bad he was completely incapacitated right now. If he was not so tired, he would have already hopped up and killed him.

"What's a werewolf doing in Rome?" Leon asked, looking a bit unsure of whether he should put his weapon away or not.

"Well---," Esther began, but was cut off by Ashton's angry outburst.

"Bastard, this is all your damn fault!" he yelled, glaring coldly at the shaggy haired priest.

The man looked absolutely offended. "What the hell are you talking about, wolfie? I don't even know---wait a minute, you're that damn wolf who almost killed me!" Leon took a step towards Ashton, a battle ready expression on his face, but Esther and the pipe man held him back.

Ashton simply growled, glaring. They were all mocking him! They probably thought this whole thing was funny! He'd show them! All they had to do was get closer…

"Oh my goodness! W-What's that?"

_B-Bella? _Ashton thought. What was she doing here?!

"Bella! I told you to stay back!" Esther said.

"I-I'm sorry. I heard all those gunshots and well…I…I was worried."

Esther sighed, shaking her head.

"Ah, well…um…since we're all here…" the man with the pipe looked around, and then turned to regard Ashton. "Ashton, could you perhaps---."

"A-Ashton?" Bella whispered, her eyes tearing up. "T-That's Ashton? My God…he…he was a werewolf?"

Ashton sighed, looking elsewhere. Humans were such hypocrites. They only took care of you if you were one of _their_ kind. If Bella had known what he was, chances were she would not have been so willing to help him recover.

"Uh…yes, sorry for not saying anything. We…well…we couldn't find a way to bring it up," the man said gently.

Bella shook her head, slowly walking towards the werewolf.

Leon was about to jump in front of her, but the blonde haired man held his hand out and shook his head. "No, let her go."

"But, Hugue!"

Hugue shook his head, putting a finger to his lips.

Leon nodded in grudgingly, silent words being exchanged between the two priests.

The little nun seemed nervous about Bella getting closer to Ashton, but the priest with the pipe did not seem at all worried. They did not have anything to worry about. Ashton would never hurt Bella. That was the one person he did not want to harm.

Bella stood a little distance away, as if asking permission to come closer. Ashton nodded slowly, watching her warily.

As soon as Bella was close enough, she hugged him, tears trailing down her face. Ashton was shocked that anyone would cry for him. Though he had seen people do that for their loved ones or friends, he had found the whole thing funny…it didn't seem that way anymore. "Ashton, I-I'm so sorry."

"For what? You had nothing to do with this."

Bella sniffled, rubbing her face in his fur. He honestly wished she'd stop. "If I had known what you were, I would have helped you…"

"I would have killed you for attempting. I had been planning on doing that for a while you know."

"Maybe…" Bella whispered, "but you didn't do it…and that is more than enough reason for me to cry for you."

Ashton was confused, but did not say more. Humans were crazy…but crazy in a weird, fluffy sorta way. _Ah shit, what the hell am I thinking? I really must be close to death to be thinking shit like this…_

"Ashton…" William began again. "What do you know?"

Ashton sighed, but this time he was a little bit more comforted by Bella's embrace. The Orden wanted him to say this didn't they? It was obvious. Otherwise Dietrich would have made him commit suicide by now. "They're here…they're in this very city."

"But where?" the blonde haired man said, speaking up.

Ashton was getting tired. He was getting tired of talking, and just wanted to sleep now. All this noise was annoying him. "They live in a mansion owned by a Terran of some powerful social standing…"

"What's the person's name?" the man with the pipe said, starting to get frantic as if sensing Ashton's urge to close his eyes.

Ashton thought about whether he should tell them. Though he had no loyalty for Fleur du Mal, he hesitated for a fraction of a second. "His name is Angelo…"

"Angelo?" Esther whispered. "Who is that?" she asked, looking back at her allies. All the priests seemed shocked, if not appalled.

"Father Ernesto Angelo?" the man with the pipe asked, stepping a bit closer. His pipe had been removed from his mouth now, and his eyes were wide.

"Yeah…that's it…That old bastard used all of us. It's funny…this whole time we were all obeying some stupid human, and our organization hates 'em…" Ashton laughed insanely, causing Bella to let him go and move away slightly.

"I've seen that man. He's always donating to poor houses…" she whispered. "I-I thought he was a good person…"

"A lot of people did…" Ashton said, slowly closing his eyes and lying his head down on the hard ground.

"Ashton! Please tell us more!" the man said, walking a little closer again.

"Leave me alone and let me sleep. I've told you what you wanted…" Ashton growled, his eyes finally closing for the final time. He wanted to stay there with Bella, but he couldn't. Once again, his body just wouldn't obey him…

"No, Ashton, wait!" William shouted.

"It's too late, Professor. The werewolf is dead," Tres replied with his usual monotonous tone.

Bella stared at Tres in shock for a while, as if he was the cruelest person in the world for such cold words. "How can you be so heartless, Father!" she said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Negative. I only spoke the truth."

Bella shook her head, and looked away, her eyes glued on Ashton's corpse. Esther could tell what she was thinking. He looked awfully peaceful. She would have thought he was asleep if it wasn't for all the blood everywhere, and all his terrible wounds.

A-Ashton…" Suddenly Bella began to sob, hugging the werewolf's dead body. "I'm sorry, Ashton…I'm so sorry…" she kept saying, until the Leon and Hugue had to pry her away. Esther was not sure that Bella would ever recover from what had happened…but she hoped she one day found she did.

Esther closed her eyes and cried despite herself. Ashton did not have to tell them anything, but he chose to.

* * *

_**Author note:**_ I seriously liked Ashton, though he was a psychopathic member of Fleur du Mal with a horrible potty mouth. W00t! A few more chapters to go! I think three more and it's over…**-gets back to work-**


	29. Yuri's Tale

_**Chapter Twenty-Four: Yuri's Tale**_

_Fire was everywhere Yuri looked, licking at his skin as he stood against a wall. Wails and screams assaulted him from everywhere, but he could not see where the source of the screams was coming from. _

"_H-Help…me…" a pained voice called from next to him._

_Yuri quickly turned, slowly backing away. A burning corpse was walking towards him, arms outstretched with patches of hair falling off its head as it came ever closer._

"_G-Get away from!" Yuri screamed, kicking the corpse away. However, the corpse did not go flying; instead it stood stock still like a rock, its lifeless eyes staring at him before morphing into something else. Soon the horrid corpse was a beautiful brown skinned woman with long black hair and light brown eyes. She smiled coldly, her fangs gleaming in the fire._

"_Did you miss me, Yuri? Are you ready to go to hell?"_

_Yuri screamed trying to run away from the woman. He did not want to see her! He wanted her to stay dead! However, he did not get far before his arm was grabbed in a vice-like grip._

"_You can't get away. You're going to burn for what you did to me!"_

"_N-No! Leave me alone, Rana!" Yuri said, trying to get out of her grip, but Rana simply grinned._

"_Leave you alone? Why would I do that?" she said. _

_Soon out of the fire more corpses came, but these corpses were dressed as clergymen, their robes horribly burned in places._

"_N-No…" Yuri whispered, shaking. "Get away from me!"_

_The corpses reached for him, their sightless eyes empty and dark. Yuri tried to run, but Rana's hand did not move from his arm._

"_You're not getting away, Yuri."_

_Yuri screamed as the corpses grabbed him, begging for his help. _

"Get away from me!"

"Yuri, wake up!"

Yuri felt something wet on his cheeks as he opened his eyes, shaking, and breathing hard. Memories were such a troublesome thing; dreams were even worse. When you mixed those two together, sometimes a horrible monster could get created out of it.

Gentle blue eyes gazed down at him, concern shining in them.

"A-Abel?" he said, unable to stop his eyes from watering.

"Yes…yes it's me, Yuri…" Abel replied softly, his hand caressing Yuri's cheek as he reached for a wet washcloth and cleaned away his tears.

"What…when…?"

Abel smiled. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"How…"

Abel gently put his hand on his forehead, and then slowly moved it away. "You should go back to sleep. It feels like you're getting a fever…"

"Am I dead?" Yuri asked, looking around. No…he couldn't be dead, right? Dead people were perfectly healthy in heaven or wherever the hell people go when they die.

Abel chuckled, moving his hand to his cheek again. "No, you're not dead, Yuri."

"So…that means what happened did actually happen…"

Abel was quiet when he said that, his gaze falling elsewhere as if ashamed.

"How is it you're still alive, Father? I saw you get eaten…" Yuri said, trying to sit up. If he continued to lie down, he would just end up passing out again before getting his question answered. Besides, he…did not want to go back to sleep after that dream…

"Uh…w-well, what happened was…" he trailed off, still looking somewhere else.

Uh…it's a long story really." Abel was silent for a while, gently pushing him back down. "You really should sleep more. You had some awful wounds. I was scared I was going to lose you…"

"Don't do that, Abel…" Abel looked at him with confusion. "Don't try and change the subject," Yuri growled, forcing himself to sit up despite his body's protesting, and Abel's hand holding him down.

"Y-Yuri stop!" Abel said, moving his hand away as if afraid he would hurt him.

Yuri ignored him, adjusting himself into sitting position, his back pushed painfully against his beds headboard. "Explain."

Abel looked away. Yuri was confused as to why the priest was so upset about having to tell what happened, and that made him a little nervous. "Did you…see anything peculiar?"

Yuri was unsure of what Abel meant by that question, before a memory flashed in his head. That monster… "I saw a Crusnik…or at least that's what that creature called itself."

Abel still refused to look Yuri in the eyes. "Uh…well…" he trailed off.

"What are you afraid of, Father? Is that creature you, by chance?" Yuri had only been joking, but the look in Abel's eyes told him otherwise. "It _was_ you…wasn't it."

Abel hung his head down, staring at his hands. "Yes…I was afraid to show you that form…afraid that you would only push yourself farther away from me…"

Yuri closed his eyes. Push himself farther away? Why would he…oh yes, earlier when he had hurt Abel… "I wouldn't do that, Abel. We all have our secrets after all." If Abel had been any other person, then yes, he would have run away. However, the priest put his life on the line to save 'him,' a murderer, an inconsiderate selfish, spoiled bastard.

If Abel was comforted by his words, he did not show it. He only continued to stare at his hands with his head hung low.

Yuri did not know what to say. He was not good at comforting people. His mother had always scolded him for being too harsh with his words…while his father would nod in approval. He never did not know which way to go. Should he follow his father, or his mother?

"I will admit that I was frightened, to say the least. I was actually more scared of what you were than I was of dying, or even Gabrys." Abel's shoulders tensed and his hands gripped at his robes. "But…" Yuri hesitated.

"But what?" Abel said, his voice cracking slightly.

"But I have no reason to be afraid because I know you would not harm me. If you wanted to, you could have done it a long time ago, regardless of what form you took. I mean…it's not like I was nice to you very much anyway…"

Slowly Abel lifted his head like a timid child. "You mean that?" He looked so tired…so much so that Yuri felt horrible. It was his fault all this happened; his fault that Abel had gotten hurt---wait a minute…he wasn't hurt from what Yuri could see. So, did that mean…that that form healed him? Yuri didn't ask.

"I…all of this is my fault. I should have never come here…"

Abel shook his head. "Nonsense, Yuri. I…" he stopped, changing the subject. "You've been a big help to us. Thanks to you, we may be able to stop Fleur du Mal."

"Heh…you all could have done that regardless of my help."

"But it would have taken longer."

Yuri stared at Abel as if seeing him for the first time. A waterfall of emotions hit him at once, annoyance, happiness, and…something he could not quite understand. Abel was alive…he was alive…

Yuri's eyes watered again, and he looked away, staring at nothing in particular.

"Yuri…" Abel whispered gently.

"I…I was scared…" he admitted reluctantly, not sure why he was telling Abel something as personal as his own feelings. Dragons usually always kept their feelings to themselves, but here he was, telling Abel that he had been scared. "I had never really been in situation like that. I've never had to really fight anyone."

"I know…" Abel said softly.

"If you had died…I…don't know what I would have done. I would have given up, or…I might have lost myself to rage…"

Abel was silent.

Yuri bit his lip, and did something that would shock anyone who knew him; he hugged Abel. That seemed like the right thing to do. It was uncomfortable, but at the same time it wasn't. It had been a long time since he had hugged anyone. Usually someone else initiated it, and he was forced to do it out of sheer good manners.

"If it wasn't for you…I wouldn't be here right now."

Abel tensed, but then slowly hugged back, his chin resting on the top of Yuri's head.

Yuri wanted to break away when he felt those arms wrap around him, but he couldn't. He was still a bit uncomfortable, even more so now that Abel was hugging him back, however, he felt…oddly happy. He had never showed his true feelings to anyone before. His father had taught him to never show anyone a weakness…not even to his own family. Now Yuri understood why his mother was always so melancholy. She was lonely, and he had not been able to comfort her because…because he did not know how.

"I'm…sorry…" he choked, biting back tears that threatened to spill. He hated this weakness of his.

Abel moved his head a little. "Hmm?"

Yuri wasn't sure he could force those words out again, but he tried. "I said that I'm…sorry…"

"It's all right, Yuri," he said, rubbing his back.

Yuri closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion began to weigh him down. Abel's arms were warm even through his black robes. It was relaxing…

"Yuri…there was something I wanted to tell you before…but you were gone when I woke up."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Abel's arms tightened around him, making him wince slightly. Right then and there, Yuri realized something…Abel had bandaged him. "Um…n-nothing…"

Yuri closed his eyes, deciding not to push Abel. He was tired, and honestly was not in 'I'm going to drill answers out of you' mode.

Abel let go reluctantly, moving back towards his chair.

Yuri was slightly disappointed that Abel wasn't hugging him anymore, but did not show it. His face was as blank as he could make it.

Abel looked at him square in the face and smiled. "Please rest now, Yuri. I know you're a dragon and that your people heal very quickly, but you're hindering the healing process by staying awake."

Yuri nodded, feeling the warmth that had radiated from Abel slowly leave him. He wanted to ask Abel questions, like what had happened after he passed out? How Abel knew where he was? And what it was that he had wanted to say? But…those were questions for another day. He would have plenty of time tomorrow when his energy was completely back and his injuries had healed.

"Will…will you tell me about everything that happened tomorrow?"

"Yes, I promise," Abel replied, nodding.

"Very well…" Yuri, with the help of Abel, lied back down on his bed, and closed his eyes slightly. "Abel…"

"Hmm?"

"Are we back at the hotel?" he asked. The room looked a bit different, but Yuri had not really had a chance to explore the hotel room when he had had a chance. As soon as he had entered it, he had gone to sleep…or pretended to at least.

There was a second of hesitation before Abel spoke. "Yes. A friend of mine I have not had a chance to really speak to very much helped me bring you here. She was pretty worried…"

"Ahh…I see," Yuri said, not really listening. If he had, he would have definitely been asking questions. "You should head back to your bed and get some sleep, Abel."

"No, I'll stay here and watch you."

"How creepy, you're going to make me feel like a stalker is watching me sleep."

Abel laughed, shaking his head. "I'll probably end up falling asleep too later, so no worries."

"Hmph…whatever, Abel." Yuri closed his eyes.

"Uh…Yuri…"

"Hmm?" Yuri opened one eye.

"Thank you…"

"For what?"

"For…not running away from me, and for trusting me again."

"I've always trusted you, Abel. Even though I was wary of everyone else, I did trust you. Don't listen to all that nonsense I screamed earlier. I was just angry."

"So, you did not mean any of that?"

Yuri closed his eye. "No. I wanted to tell you that, but…well, you know how I am. Apologizing has never been something I've been good at."

"Yes, I can tell. It's nice that you did apologize though. You honestly didn't have to."

"Hmph, don't make me regret it, Abel."

He heard a soft chuckle, and felt a hand clasp with his. "If you get another nightmare, remember I'm right here. I'll protect you, Yuri."

Yuri blushed slightly. Abel was so kind, that it made him feel like he was the worst scum on earth. He had never really treated the priest well. He was wary of anything he did, and thus often ended up saying cruel things to him…but Abel had always spoken to him gently, even when they argued. He even listened to what he had to say, despite the fact that usually what he said was sarcastic or just rude.

"You are really something. You must be a glutton for punishment if you're willing to protect a monster like me," he whispered.

"You're not a monster, Yuri."

This time, Yuri opened both of his eyes, fighting off sleep as if it was some type of wicked monster trying to bring him down. "I killed everyone, Abel. Everyone died because I lost control."

"Yuri…"

"You don't know what really happened. You only know what those old bastards tell you."

"Then help me. Tell me what happened."

Yuri hesitated, looking away.

"You don't have to tell me if it bothers you so much…but sometimes it's good to let someone else know a bit about your past. It makes it easier to keep going..."

Abel spoke as if he had experience. For all Yuri knew, he probably did. Right then and there, Abel seemed much older than his appearance; as if he had seen centuries of conflict and carnage. "You're right, I should talk about it again…especially since you've beared with me for so long." Abel's hand tightened slightly. Its warmth was reassuring.

"Have you seen any files on a Methuselah named, Rana?" Yuri asked.

"Rana?" Abel looked up at the ceiling in thought for a while, and then nodded. "Yes, I've seen her file. She…um…she was quite a _character._"

"A nut job you mean."

"Well…if you must put it that way, yes, she was a bit…different."

Yuri laughed. "You're too nice, Abel. All that aside, Rana was my partner for our…uh…massacre I suppose you could call it. That's the only word I can use. She was supposed to simply aide me in killing a high ranking priest in this country. Um, if my memory serves me right, his name was Adriano Crescenzo."

"Adriano? Why would Fleur du Mal want you do kill him?"

"Who knows? I just followed orders. That was my first mission where I had to kill. Usually I simply gathered information for the organization and let everyone else do all that dirty work…considering they all enjoyed it for the most part. Anyway, we were just supposed to get rid of him, and I kept telling Rana that…but she was psychotic, and as such you cannot reason with a person like that."

Abel nodded.

"I grew tired of trying to convince her not to kill any of the priests and nuns in the area, so I left her alone…that was until she got a little too carried away and tried to kill some children."

"She tried to kill children?" Abel exclaimed.

"That's right. She was sick…and I hated being around her. I tried to stop her…but…"

"You lost it…"

"That's right…I don't even really remember what happened. All I know was that everything was burning…" Yuri's voice began to crack. He hated talking about this. It made him sick just remembering.

"Yuri…" Abel said, trying to comfort him.

"I could hear people screaming. It…was horrible." Yuri turned his face away from Abel's staring out the window. Morning was coming soon. The sky was already starting to lighten.

Abel's thumb caressed his hand, neither saying anything more until a few minutes later, Abel spoke up. "Don't hate yourself, Yuri. It was an accident."

"I don't hate myself, but I do hate what I did. It was an accident that should have never happened. After that…I realized something…people---humans, were the same like me and everyone else. That night opened my eyes. I suppose you could say I grew up…but it was a bit too late. After everyone found out what I did for Fleur du Mal, they all hated me, and wanted me to be executed. Due to my actions, relations with the Vatican were all but a dream for a very, very long time…"

"But you've changed. I'm sure when you go back everyone will realize that."

Yuri chuckled, slowly closing his eyes again. "Dragons remember for a long time, Abel. They won't care about who I am now; they'll only remember what I did. I don't comprehend why Lucyna is doing this, but I suppose I'll have to trust her judgment…" Yuri did not want to talk anymore. He had fought off sleep long enough, and now it was coming back with a vengeance.

"I'll let you sleep now," Abel said as if understanding that's what he wanted. "Tomorrow, we'll talk about everything."

"You better…remember…" Yuri whispered, finally drifting off.

"I will…" Abel whispered back. He watched as Yuri peacefully went back into dreamland, a small smile on his face. It was rare to see Yuri so happy, just seeing him like that made Abel's heart swell with joy.

A soft creak of a door opening tore Abel's attention away from Yuri instantly. Acting on reflex from years of fighting, he reached for the gun in his robes, but stopped when he realized who it was that was entering the room.

"Whoa, relax, Father. I just came to check on you two," Julianna said stepping closer to the bed so quietly, that it was no wonder Abel did not notice her presence before.

Abel breathed a sigh of relief, cupping Yuri's hand in his again. "I'm fine, Yuri's still a bit weak, and he has a terrible fever."

Julianna ran a hand through her reddish hair. "No worries, Father. When we dragons lose too much blood, instead of getting cold we just get really hot. It…well…it doesn't make sense scientifically really, but I suppose nothing in our world really makes much sense anymore."

Abel chuckled, having to agree with that.

"Yuri must be really tired if he's not drilling you."

"Yes…he is. If he was, he would have noticed this isn't the hotel room."

Julianna nodded, looking down at the younger dragon. "He's such child sometimes, though he does try to act older. You must really love him, Father."

Abel blushed slightly, looking at his hand. "Yes…I do."

"Have you told him?" Julianna said, crossing her arms.

"No, I haven't. I plan to do it by tomorrow…though I'm nervous about how it will go."

Julianna smiled. "You shouldn't be. I think you will be good for him. He needs someone with your patience."

Abel blushed furiously, coughing in his hand. "W-What did Lucyna say? I know that's one reason why you came in here."

Julianna's smile dropped slightly. "Yuri is under my jurisdiction, Father. If he is hurt like this again, I'll be the one getting in trouble. His protection is highly important. The Elder does not want him involved in this mess anymore. He is to come back as soon as he is able. Fleur du Mal is in Rome now…and as such, the Elder is afraid that the senate will use this as an excuse for Yuri choosing to come here."

"But he would never go back to them," Abel said, his voice raising a little. How could those people believe that Yuri would do that? After hearing Yuri's story, he knew that the dragon would sooner die than do something like that.

"I…I understand, Father. You know that, and I do, but we…we have to think of this situation like a politician. I'm sure Lady Caterina would understand as well."

Abel shook his head. This was so stupid… "When are you going to take him?"

"I told the Elder that I would bring Yuri back tomorrow…but well…maybe…" she trailed off, tapping her chin with her index finger.

"Maybe what?"

"I suppose I could help aide you in this problem, Father…along with Yuri when he feels better. Doing this may increase relations with our country and this one. Besides, if those senators see that Yuri actually had a hand in destroying the organization of Rome, they would think hard about executing him, or sending him to jail for that matter."

"Are you sure? Won't you be going against your orders?"

"Yes…but…well…I'm tired of hiding in the background. As a soldier under the banner of the Great Republic, it is my duty to help. Just leaving you all to this problem sounds a bit rude. If I am able to help Rome become peaceful again, then perhaps…just perhaps this will add to Yuri's 'good' file." She smiled widely when she said this. "I'll just make up a lie saying that I was sent to give aide to the church as a friendship gesture."

Abel's lips tugged into a large smile. "Thank you, Julianna."

"You're welcome, Father. Please take care of Yuri. If you need anything I'll be right next door." She waved, and left the room as silently as she came in.

Abel still could not get rid of the goofy grin that was on his face as he slouched in his chair, his hand still connected with Yuri's.

* * *

"Ah, they know now?" Kämpfer said, putting out one of his many cigars in a crystal ashtray. 

"They should…that is if Ashton did not die. I did wound him pretty bad."

Kämpfer shrugged. "If he's dead, he's dead."

Deon bit his lip, wanting to scream at Kämpfer for being so heartless…but he had no right to talk. He had killed a comrade. God knows there were only so many werewolves left…and he had just killed one.

"It must have been hard," Kämpfer said, leaning back in his leather chair, his long hair cascading over it.

"No, not really."

"Oh, is that so? I heard you hesitated a little."

Deon tensed. "Well then, whoever told you that is a liar."

"Oh? I'm sure Dietrich would not like being called such."

Deon wanted to back away and run, but knew it would be stupid to do so. "So…are you going to kill me?"

Kämpfer laughed, turning his head so he could properly see him. "Why would I do that?"

"I…I'm not sure, sir."

"If you're not sure, then neither am I."

Deon remained on guard. Kämpfer was messing with his head. He may not have been as sick as Dietrich, but he still was a member of the Orden. "Mister Kämpfer, this would have been easier if you just had me give an anonymous tip to the Vatican concerning the organizations location."

"And where would the fun in that be, Mister Peterson?" Kämpfer turned his dark eyes towards him.

"T-There wouldn't be any," Deon replied, unable to keep himself from stuttering.

"That's right. My Master wants a good show, so I'm giving him one. It sure is taking you a while to understand that. Is something bothering you?"

Deon shook his head. "No, sir."

"Are you sure? You can tell me," he purred, smiling.

Deon was no idiot. He was walking a fine line here. "You didn't hurt Patrick did you?"

Kämpfer's smile grew wider.

"Y-You killed him?!" Deon backed away, shaking his head.

"He knew too much. Besides, he was highly unstable. If the Inquisition went to his house tomorrow he would break and ruin everything."

"Y-You sick---."

Kämpfer raised his hand, a smile still glued on his handsome face. "Don't say anything you'll regret, Deon. It would be a shame if I had to kill you."

Deon shook, more with rage than fear. He knew Patrick would die, but hearing his fears confirmed… "What about Bella? He was close to that woman! She'll wonder where he is!"

Kämpfer shrugged, an uncaring expression crossing his face. "I don't care."

Deon wanted to cry in frustration, but he was a professional and had seen worse than this. He had to continue to act that way. "Forgive me, sir. I was in the wrong for speaking to you in such a manner." He bowed completely, placing his forehead on the floor. It was a dangerous thing to do, but he felt it was the only thing he could do.

He heard Kämpfer's boots hit the ground as he stepped closer to him. "That's a good little hound," he said, running his hands through Deon's short hair. "You're dismissed, Mister Peterson. When I need you I'll send word. It seems things are going to be a lot of fun soon, and I do not want you to miss out."

Deon nodded, standing up and bowing deeply before he quickly left the room. He had to send information to Lucyna about what had happened…but how? It was becoming more and more difficult to send her letters now. Julianna could help couldn't she? But that was risky. He sighed, not sure what he should do. He adored Lucyna, but now he regretted signing up for this job…and all for a little dough.

_This whole mission is suicidal! _He thought fiercely. He did not know what sick game the Orden members were playing with him, but he was going to be even more alert than he was before now that he was being watched…

"I'm not a dog…" he whispered to himself.

* * *

**Author note:** Whew, Yuri sure has changed a bit. The Yuri at the beginning of this fanfic would never let Abel anywhere near him without carefully thinking it out (in otherwords, making up an excuse as to why he couldn't do it). Some of you may like "changed Yuri" some of you may not. xD I know I still love him either way. 


	30. Hidden Feelings

_**Reply Review Corner:**_

_Officially for the unsigned people, because they need replies too! xD_

**English Army – **Aww! I'm glad you like it! Yes, Yuri and Abel are awfully cute together. I suppose it's because they're so insanely different that they actually get along.

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty-Five: Hidden Feelings**_

Ayden kept thinking about Fleur du Mal as if it was an obsession that just would not go away. Marietta had kept him busy with pointless things like, rearranging books on her shelves, or things like household cleaning with the maids that stopped by, but he could tell what her goal was. Marietta was trying to get him to stop thinking about what the Church was doing, and even what Fleur du Mal was up to…but he couldn't. He had once told Yuri he would help him, and though Ayden was under no real obligation to do so, he felt that he had to do something.

He sighed, looking out the window. Marietta was a generous woman despite her assertive personality. She had kindly given him so UV gel so he could stay up and see the sun. It was hard to believe that the woman could go from being a tyrant, to an absolute loving person in such a short amount of time. This was obviously some type of test. Marietta did not do things for no reason, or out of the kindness of her heart. Ayden did not have to know her a long time to see that. She was a philosopher through and through.

--------

"_I'm going out for a bit," she had said earlier._

_Ayden had just woken up, and was still half-asleep, but something about those words did not sit right with him. "You're leaving me here alone?"_

_Marietta raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm heading out. I can do that can't I?"_

"_I…uh…yes, I suppose."_

_Marietta stared at Ayden a little while longer before she walked away. "Don't do anything rash while I'm away. Conrad will be keeping an eye one you."_

--------

Ayden snapped out of his thoughts, looking down at the large dog sitting near his heels. What could the dog do? Bark?

Conrad looked up at him and wagged his tail happily, causing Ayden to frown. Some intimidation this mutt was.

"What's Miss Marietta up to?" he whispered, slowly backing away from the window. Whatever it was, he was sure he would not like it. "She expects me to leave, doesn't she?"

Conrad simply licked his front paw.

"Does she have some powerful security or something? I mean…why would Caterina leave me with this woman? There's something about her no one is telling me…" Ayden sighed, crossing his arms. He could leave and fall into her trap, or he could stay here and still perhaps, fall into her trap. Either way, he had to admit, Marietta was quite the puppet master.

"I'm leaving. You can come along too if you want, Conrad."

The dog's tail temporarily stopped wagging, but then he barked and stood up running out of the library like a puppy.

Ayden couldn't help but smile as he followed after the happy dog…but suddenly, he stopped. Where exactly was he going to go? The organizations base was moved to somewhere in Rome…wherever that was. Chances of him stumbling upon it was slim, if not almost nonexistent.

_/Come downstairs/ _a voice said somewhere near him.

Ayden swirled around looking for the source, but all he saw were books scattered here and there. "W-Who's there?" he asked timidly.

_Come downstairs…_the voice repeated, though a bit more firmly.

Ayden gulped. This could be trap. However…what if it wasn't? It was always that 'if' that got him in trouble. It was what got him in trouble with Ashton and almost got him killed.

Ayden took a deep breath, and walked out the room. He looked around to see if it was safe before cautiously walking towards the stairs. Waiting on the bottom was Conrad, still wagging his tail.

"Conrad, did you smell anything odd?" he asked, though he honestly did not know why he even bothered. The dog couldn't talk.

Conrad tilted his head, and ran off towards the front door. Thankfully Marietta told her maids to stay away today or leaving the house would prove incredibly difficult.

Ayden followed after the bumbling dog, narrowing his eyes when he saw a letter tacked on the door. Quickly he tore it off, reading its contents.

_Dear little troublemaker,_

_I know what you plan on doing, and must say that it seems to be the best course of action. It's doubtful that you'll simply hide away quietly while the Vatican does all the work. After all, you are a Methuselah._

_I left the house knowing that you would try and sneak out. I doubt you plan on joining Fleur du Mal, so I'll let you go. However, be careful. You may end up getting yourself killed if you're not. Oh yes, and don't forget that UV gel is not waterproof. If you get water on you, you're as good as dead in this temperate weather._

_Conrad will lead you to what you seek. Once you're there, do not try and sneak into the building in question…that is unless you have a good lie for being gone so long to your superiors. Wait and you'll get help._

_Marietta_

So, she knew. Marietta was either a witch or a really gifted individual to have thought all this out…or even known what Ayden had been planning.

Ayden sighed, crossing his arms and looking down at Conrad. The dog was watching him intently as if waiting for a command of some sort. With a smile, he reached down and pet the hound on the head.

"Let's go, Conrad."

* * *

It was difficult for Abel to explain why he and Yuri had been late for their meeting with Sister Kate…as well as explaining the lovely woman they had with them, but he did it…with help of course. It seemed Julianna had all this planned out. She knew exactly what to say and how to say it, proof that she was quite adept at situations such as this. Sister Kate as usual, had drilled them on what had happened with the dragon, known only to the Vatican as, the beast. Abel had been reluctant to say anything, but he told her that the dragon had been regretfully slain. 

"Slain?!" Sister Kate shrieked.

"Yes…I'm afraid so. There was no way around it. He fought too hard…"

Sister Kate looked immensely disturbed. "Did you get information on the whereabouts of the organization?"

Abel nodded, his eyes slowly moving over to Yuri who was talking to Julianna over at nearby table. Apparently Julianna was being difficult about whatever it was he wanted to know, because Yuri looked extremely agitated.

"Yes, I did."

Sister Kate's eyes lit up. "Where are they?"

"I'll tell you when we all arrive at the Cardinal's office."

Sister Kate looked like she was going to argue, but pushed it aside. "All right, I think that is best for the time being anyway. That way we can all be shocked together." She smiled.

"Yes, well…" Abel chuckled, rubbing his arm, "you'll be shocked all right."

"Is it that bad?"

"Uh…it's…well…"

Sister Kate shook her head. "Never mind, Abel. I'll simply wait."

Abel sighed. He looked over at Yuri, who had casually glanced in his direction with a small frown, a clear indication that Abel had much to explain. It was amazing that Yuri had not tried questioning him when he woke up in the _Iron Maiden_ on a soft plush bed not too long ago. However, Abel knew that there was no escaping his friend's questions. He would have to answer them soon. After all, Yuri had small, if not almost nonexistent, patience.

"Sister Kate!" Julianna called.

"Yes?"

"May I speak to you for a bit. I would like to know more about how the Vatican church works."

Sister Kate nodded joyfully. "Why of course!" she exclaimed, disappearing and appearing right next to Julianna. Usually when she did things like that it frightened people who weren't used to it, but Julianna did not seem at all bothered by it, if anything she seemed mildly amused.

Abel chuckled and shook his head. Dragons sure did love to learn. Even Julianna shared Yuri's inquisitive personality.

"Abel…" Yuri said, standing up a bit shakily and walking over to him.

Slowly Abel looked at him, smiling. "Y-Yes?"

"Don't 'yes' me. We need to talk. I want answers."

Abel smile widened a bit and he nodded. "Well, it's now or never. Let's go talk on the deck."

Yuri nodded, standing up and walking away without a glance at Sister Kate or Julianna. Abel looked down at the sandwiches that Yuri had left behind and grabbed one. He couldn't just let food go to waste!

"Be right back you two!" he called, looking at the two chattering women. Sister Kate and Julianna looked at him briefly before returning to their conversation as if he had not spoken.

_Good job, Julianna. Keep Sister Kate busy for me._

Grabbing one more sandwich, Abel left the room to catch up with Yuri. He did not have to walk far. Yuri's pace was rather sluggish. "Yuri, are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, Father. I'll be completely healed by tomorrow."

"Amazing…" Abel whispered, shaking his head.

"Eh? What is?"

"Your healing ability. It's incredible."

"And yours isn't?" Yuri asked, but there was no trademark sarcasm to his tone.

"Well…good point."

Yuri shook his head, speeding up a bit.

It took a while to get to the deck with Yuri's slow walking, but Abel did not complain. This gave him more time to shift through his thoughts and try and order them in a way that he wouldn't sound like a fool when trying to explain things to Yuri. He knew it was going to be difficult though. He could not help but sound like a fool when talking to the dragon. There was something about his piercing eyes that made him feel as if he could see right through him.

"Abel…where exactly are you going?" Yuri said, snapping him out of his daydream.

Abel blinked, looking around. He had just passed the exit for the deck. "Uh…well…you see…"

Yuri sighed loudly, shaking his head and stepping out through the exit. However, before he left Abel swore he saw him smiling.

Scratching the back of his head with embarrassment, Abel stepped outside after him, squinting and blocking his face from the sun's rays. It was so abnormally bright today…

"Explain."

Abel sighed. Yuri was so terse sometimes. "What do you want to know first, Yuri?"

The young dragon crossed his arms, leaning against the railing on the deck. "I'll start basic first. Who is that woman? She's obviously a dragon. Don't tell me she's your lover or something."

Abel coughed. "W-W-What?! N-No! Of course not! She's just a friend."

Yuri raised an inquisitive brow. "Is that so? You two seem close."

"N-No, I mean yes, I mean---."

Yuri laughed gently. "I'm just playing with you, Abel."

Abel sighed with uncontained relief. Yuri's jokes sure were sadistic weren't they?

"So, she's that spy who sent me that letter…" Yuri said, not really looking at Abel. He seemed to be lost in thought.

"That letter? Oh, the one you were reading in your room right?"

Yuri nodded slowly.

"I see…"

The two were silent for a while, but then Yuri spoke up again. "Abel…what did Gabrys say? I know he said something to you."

Abel's smile slowly dropped and he looked away. "He told me the location of Fleur du Mal…"

Yuri's eyes widened slightly, but otherwise his facial expression was still as apathetic as ever. "Oh? Where is it?"

Abel closed his eyes, feeling guilty over the death of the dragon. It should not have happened…but he couldn't control his Crusnik form, and it got a bit carried away. He could still see what happened playing over and over in his head.

_--------_

_Gabrys coughed, floating in water that was now changing from tranquil blue to crimson red. He looked peaceful; despite the fact that it was obvious he was going to die. No creature could survive the abuse he had been through...not even a Methuselah._

"_You're a tough one…" he said, forcing the words out of his tired mouth._

"_I'm…sorry…" Abel replied, biting back a wave of sadness that threatened to overtake him._

"_Don't be. You fought hard, and I'm glad. I always assumed the Vatican were all weaklings…but it appears I was wrong…"_

"_Gabrys," Abel said, quickly getting to the point. No amount of apologies would make things better, "tell me where Fleur du Mal is."_

_Gabrys chuckled, coughing up blood. "You don't want to check on your friend? He might be dead…"_

_Abel shook his head. "My mission…comes first…"_

_Gabrys looked at him, smiling. "I'll make this quick then. This was the only reason why I came to Venice, the only reason…"_

"_You came…to tell us this?'_

_Gabrys wiggled his fingers in an attempt to say yes. _

"_Why?"_

"_Because…because it seemed right. Odd hearing that from a killer, huh? Well, I'm quite insane it seems. I don't even know why I do the things I do. I wanted to test the dogs of the Vatican; to see if they were worthy of felling this tired dragon. Of course you all proved to be quite tough, even the little one over there. I knew I would die…but that only made it more invigorating."_

"_That…that's…"_

"_Crazy? Maybe. I told you I was insane didn't I? Listen up; I only have a little time left. I can feel myself getting tired. Father Angelo of your church is currently our employer. He's helping us by giving us a place to hide from the Vatican, and what better place than right under your Churches nose?"_

"_Father Angelo?" Abel exclaimed. Why would such a good priest side with a heretic group? And to think that man was close to Caterina AND Francesco…_

"_That's right…"_

"_Where is the organization?"_

_Gabrys smiled. "Right under your nose, just as I said. They're at the 'good' priest's estate…"_

"_What?!"_

"_Shocking I know…" Gabrys yawned, slowly closing his eyes. "Careful priest…or you may end up causing trouble…"_

"_W-Wait! Gabrys keep you eyes open!" Abel called, running over to a place where he could reach for the man._

_Gabrys simply smiled, pushing himself away from reach. "Let this dragon die the way he wants."_

_Abel watched sadly as the dragon closed his eyes and slowly sank into the water. He knew that eventually the dragon would resurface…but by that time…_

_He looked away, his eyes landing on Yuri._

_--------_

"Abel…"

Abel opened his eyes. "Oh…sorry, Yuri. I was thinking. Um…well…according to Gabrys, their HQ is at a church official's estate."

Yuri was silent. Shock did not cross his face, nor did any other emotion really. All that Abel could see was a creepy sort of calm. "Is that so? I guessed as much. There was no humanly way Fleur du Mal could hide anywhere near the Church without being discovered unless someone from the top was shielding them."

"I see. If you thought that Yuri, why didn't you say so?"

"Are you a moron? Wait…I don't know why I asked that." He laughed softly. "I'm a dragon, Abel. Who would listen to me?"

"Caterina would have listened."

"Yes she would have. However, without proof I'd be making a pretty strong accusation. Even in the Cardinal's eyes that's ill behavior."

Abel sighed. Yuri thought too much sometimes. Perhaps Caterina would have been unhappy, but still…she would have looked into it. She certainly did with her uncle in the Barcelona incident.

Yuri was silent again, but when he spoke up, his voice was almost a whisper. "Did…did Gabrys die honorably? Even if he was a monster by my people's standards, he still deserved that much."

Abel nodded sadly. "Yes…yes he did."

"How did you know I was at that abandoned water plant facility?"

"Uh…well…I asked around. Everyone said you kept asking about that monster that had been in their waters and pointed me in the right direction…"

Yuri nodded slowly. "I see…" he said, falling silent once again. It was not normal for Yuri to be so quiet. Something had to have been bothering him. Should Abel ask? Or should he simply keep his mouth shut?

"I have one more question before I let you go; one that has been bothering me since yesterday."

"All right…ask away."

"What was it you wanted to tell me last night?"

Abel blushed. "Uh…well…it's hard to say really…"

Yuri looked up at the sky. "Take your time. We have at least another hour before we arrive in Rome."

Abel took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I wanted to tell you that I think I um…m-might love you."

Yuri's head slowly lowered, and his green eyes pierced the priest like a sword. Silence once again took over; the only sound coming from the wind. "What?"

"I said…I said that I think I might love you…"

Yuri looked away slowly. He seemed thoughtful, if not a bit conflicted. "Father, you're a priest. Such behavior is inappropriate for your position."

Abel looked away. Yuri was right…but did it matter? Wasn't he everything a priest was not supposed to be? He killed. He was an abomination in the eyes of the Lord according to many in the Church. His very presence was a sin… "You said I was a hypocrite didn't you?" Yuri opened his mouth to say something, but Abel continued. "Besides…I've sinned enough for a lifetime, I'm sure one more won't make a difference…"

"It…that does not matter. You live and breathe the Church. If you were suddenly shunned, I doubt you would be able to function."

"The Church doesn't rule me, Yuri. I can leave anytime I want."

"But you won't, just like I will not abandon my country."

"Yuri…I…" Abel looked away. So was he being rejected? He had foreseen this…but to see it in motion…was devastating.

"I never said that I did not accept your love, Abel…" Yuri said gently.

Abel's gaze quickly landed on the dragon. What did he say?

Yuri sighed, smiling a little. "Is it really so shocking?"

"I…uh…" Abel stuttered, not able to voice what he wanted to say without sounding like a fool. Yuri…felt the same way? Was this some kind of dream?

Yuri waited for a while before he sighed. "Enough of this…" he said, looking elsewhere as if uncomfortable. "I'm going to go take a nap. Wake me up when we get to Rome."

"All right," he said fighting back his smile as well as a blush when Yuri walked passed him.

"Abel…I know I'm not the nicest person, but…I…well…"

Abel chuckled, shaking his head. He said the same statement he always said when Yuri was involved. Right now, that seemed like the wisest thing to do. "I understand."

Yuri did not say it, but Abel new what he was thinking; he usually always knew what it was Yuri tried to say. Abel almost jumped when he felt a hand pat him on the shoulder. It was a small gesture, but it was enough.

"Did you mean what you said…Yuri?"

"I don't usually lie," came the coy remark.

No words were exchanged after that, because no more words were needed.

* * *

Conrad had been a spectacular guide. It was incredible just how good the dog's nose was. Ayden was starting to think that perhaps Marietta had something to do with it. No dog's nose was THAT good…right? 

Ayden was fairly confused when Conrad had led him to a rich estate. It was fairly empty, with a giant locked gate.

"So this is the place…" Ayden whispered, standing behind a tree a great distance away. He refused to get any closer than this.

Conrad wagged his tail and looked up at him.

What was Ayden supposed to do now? How was he supposed to sneak inside without being discovered? This whole thing was just crazy.

Ayden took a step towards the gate, but a sharp voice stopped him.

_/Enough. That is as far as you go, Ayden/_

Ayden tensed, looking around like a frightened mouse. That voice was surrounding him, almost as if it was inside his own head. Was he losing his mind? That seemed logical.

"Ok…I'm losing it. All this stress is driving me insane."

_/Oh no, you're quite sane from what I've seen/_

"Who are you?" he asked, trying to sound confident.

_/I'm right here/_

There was only one thing near him; Conrad.

"C-Conrad?"

_/That's right. It's nice to finally really be able to talk to you/ _Conrad wagged his tail.

That conniving woman! She somehow did some weird magic on her own dog just to keep track of him! Ayden must have looked extremely angry, because Conrad spoke to him.

_/Marietta knew you would leave in search of your organization. Thus, she wanted me to keep an eye on you/_

"Are you…are you an esper?"

Conrad's tail slowly stopped wagging. _/An esper? No, no I'm not. I'm like you actually…just different really/_

"What does that mean?" Ayden asked quietly.

_/There's no reason for you to know, and quite frankly, I do not wish to elaborate. All that nonsense aside, you are to wait here until I give the word for you to go inside/_

This was odd. Talking to a dog who was not really talking out loud was just…awkward. Ayden felt like a moron. "Why do I have to wait?"

_/You shall see, now won't you?/_

Ayden growled leaning his back against the tree and looking at the sky. The sun was so beautiful. He almost forgot what it was like to see it like this. Its warmth was soothing, but it was also a bit frightening. If his UV gel were to get wet…it would be all over for him.

"Conrad…is that even your name?"

_/No. That is simply an alias/_

"You're not really a dog are you?"

_/No I'm not/_

"Could've fooled me…" Ayden whispered. Standing out here was dangerous wasn't it? Especially since he was so close to his organizations HQ. Chances were they thought he was a traitor for not returning for such a long time. If they saw him, they might take him in…but then what was Ayden supposed to say?

_/Relax/_

"That's hard to do." Ayden reached into his pocket and took out a cap, placing in on his head, and sitting down in the grass. He did not know how long he was going to have to wait, but would have to trust the black and tan hound next to him. "What's your real name?"

_/There is no reason for you to know. Just continue calling me 'Conrad'/_

Ayden shrugged. "As you wish…"

Conrad sat down next to him, looking around_. /You're safe here, Ayden. Just relax. You'll be waiting for a while before it's time/_

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked nervously, but Conrad did not say anymore. Marietta was a conniving woman…but Ayden felt she would not put him in danger without a just reason. Besides, she allowed her uh… 'dog' to tag along with him, meaning it was safe…right? He sure hoped so…

* * *

When Abel and Yuri made it back to the main deck room, Julianna promptly excused her self saying she was tired and wished to take a small nap before they arrived in Rome. Yuri excused himself as well, with a small polite nod at Sister Kate before leaving the room as silently as he had come in. 

Julianna was expecting this…though she honestly wished Yuri would have waited until later to bombard her with questions. She was tired too you know. It took a lot of work and effort to keep a close eye on the little dragon.

She knew that as soon as she stepped into her room, Yuri was going to waiting for her there. He was just that easy to read.

With a small sigh, she opened her door and stepped inside, smiling when her guess was right.

Yuri was lying on her bed with his arms crossed, staring at the ceiling as if lost in his own thoughts.

"Hello, little Kostka. What can I do for you?"

"Don't call me that."

Julianna chuckled. "Very well. What is it you want?"

"What are you up to? In your letter you said you were going to take me back…and now you're helping the Vatican? That sort of contradicts what you told me."

"True. Do you wish to go back?"

Yuri hesitated for a long time, his eyes taking on a sad look. He refused to say anything, which Julianna understood. He was stubborn like his father. There was no way he was going to tell her anything. "I will guess that you are now conflicted. However, in the end you must go back."

"I know…"

"But that bothers you?"

"You never answered my question," he said, changing the subject with a rather aggressive tone. Yuri was always the spitfire; Julianna knew that from seeing him a few times.

"I'm helping you against Elder Lucyna's orders. There's no hidden agenda if that's what you're thinking in that suspicious head of yours. I'm just doing this because it seems right. I have no intent on causing trouble."

Yuri's silence was unnerving. He had been quiet a lot lately…

"That's not a logical choice for a dragon to make."

"We're not machines, contrary to your father's beliefs. We can feel normal emotions such as sympathy…or even _love_," she emphasized the word 'love'.

Yuri blushed furiously.

"All that aside, that's all I have to say. If you don't mind little Kostka, I need to rest. I'm rather tired…"

Yuri slowly climbed off her bed, and walked towards the door with his usual frown.

"You should rest too. I think we'll have to be fighting soon," Julianna added when he was right in front of the door.

"More then likely…" Yuri said, leaving the room silently as he closed the door.

Julianna yawned, throwing herself on her bed. Today was a long day, but so was yesterday. Fleur du Mal had lost an important member. She wondered what they would do now. Obviously there were in a panic right about now. Gabrys had never been one for loyalty.

_We better hurry to Rome before its too late…not that all those vampires could really go anywhere in this heat. There's not enough UV gel in the world that could help them now._

Closing her eyes, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_**Author note: **_I really love these author notes. xD I swear almost every chapter has one. Anyway, all that aside, a lot has happened in this chapter. One more chapter to go…that is if I can fit everything into one more chapter. It'll probably be a doozy to read. 


	31. The End Of It All

_**Review Reply Corner:**_

English army - Well here it is! The new chapter. xD

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Six: The End Of It All**_

Caterina would be lying if she was not the least bit shocked about Abel and Yuri's company. This was highly unexpected.

"Who is this girl?" she asked politely as she examined the woman before her.

"Hello there, Your Eminence. My name is Julianna. I'm a foreign investigator for the President of the Republic." The woman bowed politely.

"A foreign investigator? You mean like a spy then."

"Well…yes, kinda sorta."

Caterina smiled, clasping her hands together. "So I can assume you are a dragon?"

"That is correct, Your Eminence."

"May I ask why you're here?"

Julianna nodded. "Of course, it only seems right. I'm here to keep on eye on Yuri and nothing more. My duty is not to spy on the Vatican, so you don't have to worry about that."

Caterina unclasped her hands, rubbing her chin with her index finger. "Yes I figured as much, but why are you _here_, Miss Julianna?"

"Uh, she's here to help us, Miss Caterina," Abel replied for her.

Caterina's eyes widened slightly as she looked over at Father Havel. The man had been quiet thus far, but she could tell he was just as shocked as she was.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, Your Eminence! Our President wishes to better establish a firmer relationship with the Vatican. She believes that by showing that her country truly wants change, she hopes that our countries' relations could be less strained."

Caterina closed her eyes. So, Lucyna was trying to make their relations better. Well that was good. It was nice to know that she was taking the first step instead of Caterina doing it. It seemed Lucyna and the Empress were both very much alike in that regard.

"Father Havel," she said, opening her eyes.

"Yes, Your Eminence?"

"Could you go get the others? They should still be in the library."

Father Havel nodded, quickly leaving the room.

Julianna watched him and blinked before looking back at the Cardinal. "In order to better our relationship, your brother will have to know about Yuri and my involvement."

Caterina grimaced slightly. "Yes I know. My brother will not be happy about this though."

"Yes, he more than likely won't. However he just has to deal with Yuri and I for this one thing."

"True…perhaps my brother can put differences aside for now. His Inquisitorial squad just came back yesterday from their trip to Barecelona. Apparently they were having trouble with radical vampires."

Abel and Yuri glanced at one another, a look that did not go unnoticed by Caterina. "Is there something you two wish to say? You've been awfully quiet."

"No, Miss Caterina," the both of them said in unison.

Caterina raised an eyebrow but did not ask them anymore questions. "Tell me, what did the dragon say?"

Abel coughed. "He said that Father Angelo was the one currently employing the organization…though for what reason he did not say. He…didn't get a chance."

Caterina sighed, placing his fingers to her temples. So it was true. Ashton had not lied. Father Angelo was truly out to destroy the Vatican…but why? What reason would he have of doing that? Revenge? No…it could not be something as petty as revenge… "Ashton said the same thing, so I suppose it is true. It's hard to believe that Father Angelo…who has been like a grandfather to me, would ever dream of harming this city. He always spoke of protecting it…I would have never guessed…"

"Well, whatever his reasons might be, he has to be dealt with," Yuri mumbled, staring at the floor.

"Yes, I'm aware…" Caterina's eyes instantly went to the door when it opened and all of her AX members waltzed into the room, minus Sister Kate who instantly appeared next to Abel. "Good, you're all here," she said, examining them. All of them seemed very tired.

"So, how did things go in Vienna?" William said, his eyes slowly landing on Yuri and Abel. However, his gaze quickly went over to Julianna. "Uh…who is this?"

"I've seen her before," Hugue said with a nod. "She likes to go to that café everyone seems keen to."

Julianna nodded, smiling widely. "Yes, I've seen you many times. Hello everyone! It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Julianna. I'm here as a foreign investigator for the president of the Republic…or as some people like to call it, a spy. I'm not here to spy on any of you though…just a little dragon by the name of Yuri."

Yuri scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not that short…"

Out of courtesy, all the AX members introduced themselves as well.

"Well then, now that that is out of the way I shall continue," Caterina said with a bit of amusement. "Julianna will be helping us on our assault on Father Angelo's estate. It appears that Ashton did not lie…"

"So it's one hundred percent true then…" Leon mumbled, crossing his giant arms.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I have set up a conference with my brother today, so he'll have to get involved as well. Of course this will make things a lot easier…but also more difficult as well. I don't like working with his department, I'm sure none of you do, but it must be done. We cannot get into Father Angelo's estate without help."

"Yeah, doing this without a bunch of help would be pretty difficult," Leon replied, nodding vigorously.

Caterina sighed. "Yes…it would appear so…"

No one spoke because it seemed that would be the best thing to do. Caterina knew she must have looked very tired. _Father Angelo…why? Did we all wrong you in some way? Is that why you're doing this?_

"What should we do?" Esther asked gently.

Caterina snapped out of her reverie. "All of you will wait until my brother gives the ok. Remember, this is in his department. I can't act without his approval…as well as his understanding."

Everyone nodded, but Yuri frowned, looking anywhere but at Caterina.

* * *

Deon sighed, walking past a little boy sitting under a potted tree with a large black and brown dog as he walked down the street. He had no way of contacting any of Lucyna's spies. He was starting to think that this mission was worthless. No money was worth all of this. Fleeing was starting to look more and more desirable. The problem was…where would he go? The Orden would probably find him and kill him. After all, he knew too much about them. 

He sighed, walking through a crowd of people who were waiting for some stupid clothing store to open. It never amazed him how humans were so obsessed with such trivial things.

"Deon, the time is coming."

Deon stopped, casually looking over his shoulder at a man dressed in a black suit with sunglasses. He was in the crowd in such a way that no one would really notice him unless they were looking.

"And you are?"

"An ally."

Deon looked around. He was not being followed, which was a good sign. There was no way that the Orden would watch him 24/7, so maybe…

"Let's talk over here," he whispered, moving over to an antique store. He waved the man inside, and waited by a section with beautiful decorated plates after greeting the owner of the store.

It did not take long for the man to come over to him, pretending to be interested in the merchandise as well.

"Who do you work for?" Deon said, getting straight to the point.

"The president, but also for the 'priest.'"

"So, you're a double agent, then? What you're doing is risky. You could get both me and you killed."

"No, there's no one following us."

Deon bit his lip, and looked around nervously out of habit. "What do you want?"

"The Vatican is going to act. My comrade and I made sure of that by turning Gabrys lose and ignoring Ashton's runaway."

"So…you were the ones behind all that drama, eh?'

"Yes, and no. Ashton's death was regrettable, but there is no changing that. I'm sure in the end he realized that in the end. Gabrys on the other hand was a thrill seeker. He would never get along well with the other members of the organization."

Deon sighed. "Why exactly are you telling me this?"

"Excuse me, sirs," an old woman said walking over to them and looking them up and down.

"Erm…" Deon said, staring at her with raised eyebrows. "Can we help you, Miss?"

"Are you going to _buy_ anything? I can't have people loitering around in my store."

Deon sighed, crossing his arms. "We might. We're just looking."

The old woman stared at them with narrowed eyes, slowly moving off towards another customer.

The man with the sunglasses watched her for a while, and then went back on topic. "I'm testing your loyalty. You either help, or we assume you are planning on running away."

Running away?! Well…he had planned on doing that. But where would he go? Honestly…there was not many places he could hide. Besides, Dietrich might have done pre-hypnotism to him like he did that one vampire---what was his name? Oh, it didn't matter. He was dead and that's all Deon needed to remember. "So she expects me to put my life in danger?"

"Afraid so."

Deon bit his lip again to try and keep himself from yelling. He did not want to alert the whole store. "I could die you know."

"So be it. There's many other mercenaries as good as you, if not better at this profession."

Deon bit back a growl.

"Lucyna does care about your well-being, but if you are going to be difficult, she wants nothing to do with you."

"I HAVE---," Deon breathed in and out before continuing, his voice lowering, "I have been absolutely loyal to that woman for fifteen years. What more could she want from me?"

The man did not say anything, just continued to stare at the beautiful plates before him.

"Wait a minute…you're a werewolf aren't you? I can't believe that I didn't smell that before. You're good at masking your scent. Have we met?"

"Once, when you were spying on Fleur du Mal."

"You're…Garith, right?"

"Correct. Long time no see, eh? I'm sorry I can't show you my face. It would be folly for me to do that right now. Unlike you, I'm not Gung-ho about constantly changing my appearance and my accent."

Deon scoffed. "I'm sure. Anyway, when will the Vatican storm Angelo's place?"

"Sometime today I believe. If they don't, they'll have trouble tomorrow. That weapon is almost done. If by chance they choose tomorrow, Vergil and I will have to personally put our lives in jeopardy to get their attention."

"Almost done you say? I've been hearing that for at least a month. Are they really almost done?"

"That's right," Garith said. "Those other times were bluffs. This time, they ARE almost done."

"Damnit…" Deon shook his head. "Why didn't you guys kill whoever is in charge of the construction of this weapon?"

"We would have, if we could. It's hard to get anywhere near them. Those vampires are not all keen to working with werewolves you see."

"Prejudice bastards," Deon said, shaking his head again. "So, what is this weapon exactly?"

Garith was about to answer, but stopped, touching his ear. "It would appear I'm needed back at the estate. It was nice talking to you, Deon."

"Same…" he replied, sounding a bit angry.

"Be careful. You're treading on dangerous water."

"Yeah, yeah," Deon waved his hand, grabbing a plate. "I might as well buy one of these damn things so I don't look suspicious." Deon was about to leave, but Garith grabbed him and whispered in his ear.

"If things get messy when you're in there…you may have to end your life. The Orden cannot know that Lucyna has been watching them, nor can Fleur du Mal know that you're a spy for that woman. How you would kill yourself, I do not know."

Deon looked at the ground sadly. That was always a scenario…but to be told that he would have to kill himself by a fellow spy…

Garith pat him on the shoulder and walked away, waving jovially at the squat old woman who was still watching him suspiciously as he left.

With a sigh, Deon forced a smile on his face. "Yo, old lady! How much is this?"

* * *

"So everyone's stories match up…" Caterina said, clasping her hands together. 

"That is correct, Your Eminence," Abel said with a small smile.

Caterina nodded, looking over at the dragon named Julianna. She had said she wished to lead her help against her leader's orders, something that made her respect for the woman much higher. However, she hesitated in allowing Julianna to help them with this problem. If something were to happen to the dragon, what would she tell Lucyna? That it was an accident? This could cause major political problems…

"Your Eminence," Julianna said, bowing slightly.

"Yes?"

"Do not worry about me. I won't be in a position that might put my life in jeopardy, you can be rest assured."

Caterina looked unsure for a second, but nodded. There was no point in having an argument over this. She would just have to order someone to stick close to Julianna. "It saddens me to know that Father Angelo was behind this all along…but justice must be dealt in order to protect this country."

Everyone nodded in unison, minus Yuri who seemed to careless about what as going on.

"Yuri, Julianna, the both of you are to come with me when I see my brother."

"WHAT?!" Yuri exclaimed, speaking up for the first time since he had been there.

Caterina blinked. "Is something wrong, Yuri?"

"Yeah I'd say something was wrong," he hissed, seemingly forgetting that Caterina held his life in her hands. "That's foolish. It would be so much better if Julianna and I simply pretended to be new to the Church."

"And how would she explain what happened to the both of us when it comes time to leave? That we hated it?" Julianna replied casually.

"I…It's….well…."

"Yuri, I understand your feelings. You're scared of my brother, which is perfectly normal I suppose." Yuri scoffed, glaring at the floor. "However," Caterina continued, "this must be done. My brother will be most unhappy, and may even use this against me when this problem is taken care of, but this needs to be done."

Yuri growled and clenched his fists. At first Caterina thought he was going to storm out the room, but he just stared even harder at the red carpeted floor. Abel pat him on the back, smiling kindly. For some reason, that seemed to calm the angry dragon a little. Caterina raised an eyebrow, but did not say more. Apparently Abel and Yuri were now getting along much better…which was good compared to before.

"All of you are on standby until I finish my meeting with Cardinal Medici. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Eminence," everyone said in unison before filing out the room.

Julianna bowed politely, leaving after Abel and Yuri.

Caterina waited until everyone was gone before turning to Father Havel. "Could you check and see if my brother is ready?'

"Of course, Your Eminence." Father Havel bowed, quickly leaving the room.

Caterina sighed, rubbing her temples. She had a massive headache again. Thankfully, soon this whole mess would be over.

* * *

"Yuri, uh…" 

Yuri sighed, looking over at Abel as he stopped in front of his door. How long had the priest been following him?

"Um…you seem down…is something the matter?"

"No, Abel. I'm fine."

Abel shook his head, looking uncertain. "You're scared aren't you?'

Yuri's eyes narrowed coldly. "What?"

"I mean, you're not scared of Francesco…you're more scared of what's going to happen once we go to Father Angelo's estate, aren't you?"

Yuri frowned.

"Don't worry, Yuri. Everyone will be there to help you, me included." He smiled widely. "There's nothing to worry about."

Yuri was touched by what Abel said though he refused to show it. He cared about Abel, but still…he did not really want the man to worry about him.

"I'll remember that. Thank you."

Abel nodded, bowing politely as he turned and walked away, whistling as he went.

Yuri watched him, feeling his heart slowly ache as the man disappeared down the hallway. Everything was almost over….everything. Soon he would be returning home, and more than likely, would never see Abel again…

He sighed. This is what scared him…not Fleur du Mal, not Francesco, not anything. Just that. And he hated himself for feeling that way.

* * *

(All right, it's time) 

"What?" Ayden said, raising his head.

(Let's go. He has passed by)

"Who has passed by?" Ayden asked. He had finally had a chance to rest, and now he was being bothered again.

(You don't need to know. Let's go)

Ayden sighed, standing up, and dusting his pants off. What the hell was Conrad talking about? The dog sure was not any help…well whatever Conrad was. "So, what am I supposed to do?"

(Enter the estate of course)

Ayden stared at him as if he was insane. "What?"

(I said, entering the estate. That is the first thing to do in this case. You like saying 'what' a lot don't you?) There was faint humor to that dogs voice.

"They'll kill me…" Ayden sniffed. "And of course I'm going to say 'what' a lot. I have no idea what the hell is going on."

(They won't. They didn't even know you planned on betraying them did they? I know you're a bit left in the dark, but everything will make sense eventually)

The dog…thing had a point. They DIDN'T know. Ashton seemed to not have had a chance to tell them anything. The wolf was probably in Vatican custody…or executed. "You're right, Conrad. But what if they find out I'm helping the Vatican? AND why isn't Marietta helping me directly?"

(They won't…if you're careful. Marietta has other things to do. She doesn't have time to babysit children.)

Once again, the dog was right. "What is it you want me to do once I'm there? And I'm not a child. I just look like one."

(I'll explain when it's time) Conrad said, ignoring Ayden's other comment.

"Uh…all right." Ayden looked at the estate, shuddering. Well, it was now or never. "Let's go."

Conrad nodded, walking side by side with Ayden as they approached the building in question. Ayden felt nervous the closer they got. There was something ominous about that building…maybe because he knew there was illicit activity going on inside.

He stopped in front of the gate, unsure of what to do.

(Why are you hesitating?)

"Erm…because it's locked…"

Conrad huffed. (Then call for someone.)

"Easier said then done…"

(It's not difficult. Just yell that you have a message for the priest or something of that sort.)

Ayden did not like where this was going. Conrad had not thought this far ahead, meaning he was probably going to be a burden later on.

(What are you waiting for?)

Ayden sighed. There was no way in hell he was going to shout at the top of his lungs. Most Estates had a weird voice activated door bell-like device…right? The name escaped him at the moment, but he was sure this estate was no different. He examined it, looking around until he found what he was looking for. With a sigh, he pushed the button.

"Hello, I am a messenger sent by Caterina Sforza. I need to speak to Father Angelo."

It was silent for a while, but then a voice came out; forceful and a bit cold.

"What's your name, lad?"

"Uh…Ayden. Ayden Boldizsár."

"Ayden?" the man said.

"That's…right. Ayden." Was this a bad sign? If it was, Ayden knew he was in big trouble.

Silence took over again, and lasted for a good five minutes before the man spoke up again. "Ayden, come inside." With that said, the gate opened.

(Good. It seems you're still needed.)

Ayden sighed, stepping forward and into the estate; the whole time his heart beating fiercely. He passed a few people, but they were not Methuselah. They hardly even glanced his way in question…which made him wonder if something more was going on than just the creation of a weapon. Was the priest going to…? Ayden fought back a gasp, but the noise did not go unnoticed by Conrad.

(Yes, the priest is planning on using this weapon against the church…which is why you need to quickly get near it.)

Ayden sighed, unable to answer back. It would have looked odd if he just started having a conversation with Conrad.

"Ayden! Long time no see, comrade!"

That voice…Vergil? Ayden blinked, looking up from the ground. Vergil had not changed from when he had last seen him. His shaggy black hair was a little bit more well-groomed, but that was about it. Now that Ayden paid attention…he had to admit that the werewolf looked almost like a twin Leon. He shuddered at the thought of TWO of those annoying priests.

"So, you all really HAVE moved here."

Vergil beamed. "That's right, little buddy. Good to see you're in good health. We heard the…uh, let's talk as we walk shall we?" He glanced past Ayden, narrowing his eyes at bit.

Ayden nodded numbly still scared to death as he followed the man.

"Oi! Why so worried? You're as tense a bowstring."

"I'm…I'm not in trouble am I?"

Vergil blinked, looking down at him as they trekked across the vast estate. "Eh? No. Why would we be? Sure you were gone for a while, but hey, I'm sure you have a good explanation."

Ayden forced a smile, but deep down inside, he was scanning his mind for a proper lie.

"Not much has changed. We're still trying to do the same thing. This priest guy is awfully nice. He's been happily feeding us. Pretty neat, huh?"

Ayden nodded.

"Yeah, he's a swell guy. Too bad we're almost---anyway, so what have you been doing?"

That quick change in topic took Ayden by surprise. What was Vergil trying to hide? "Well, I was captured by the Vatican, as you very well know during my spy escapade. I would have been fine if Ashton hadn't of attacked me..."

"Ah, yes. I know. Heard all about it. Ashton really didn't like you much, so it was no suprise he chased you all the way to Rome. You don't have to worry about him though. Rumor has it Ashton got killed by the Orden; the poor guy."

Ayden head snapped up. "WHAT?"

Vergil stopped, turning. "Yeah, he got killed by some Orden bastard. Sad, considering he was a fellow werewolf. I wish I had been there to help." He shook his head, walking on.

"When was this?"

"Yesterday."

Yesterday? Why hadn't he heard of this? Did the Vatican not find him worthy of knowing that Ashton was still running around alive somewhere? Everything else Vergil said was ignored as the poor little vampire swam in his own chaotic sea of thoughts.

* * *

"WHAT?! How can I trust you now, Caterina?! How dare you keep these heretical beasts within a church!" Francesco bellowed, filling the large war room of The Hall Of Angels with little effort. It had taken much to get her brother to come and visit with her alone; but Caterina had done it. She didn't think it would be possible considering her brother did not trust her too much… 

"Yes, I know I have withheld much information from you, and I beg your forgiveness. However, we can fight later, and argue about this another time. For now, please just listen to what I have to say."

Francesco scowled, glaring daggers at the two dragons sitting across from him. Yuri and Julianna simply nodded politely in his direction. The two were holding out very well. Caterina was glad of that. Earlier Yuri seemed all but terrified; not that she could blame him. Her brother could be such a boar. "Fine. Go ahead."

Caterina nodded. "All right. Well, as you very well know, Fleur du Mal has been hiding away in our dear city."

"Yes, yes, I know that."

Caterina ignored him, continuing on. "However, we did not know where they were. Now we do."

Just as she thought, this instantly caught Francesco's attention. "You do? How did you find this out?"

"Through interrogation of the two members we managed to encounter. Sadly both of them are now dead, so we cannot question them further."

Francesco frowned. "So, where are they? In an alley somewhere? Hiding with some unknown syndicate? Where?"

"Calm down, brother. You may not believe me for saying this, actually I believe you'll lose your temper immensely, but it must be said. Fleur du Mal is hiding within Father Angelo's estate."

The room was dead silent, a look of utter rage and shock smack dab across Francesco's face. Caterina sighed, waiting for the impending doom of his loud, aggressive voice.

"WHAT?!" he bellowed. "How dare you jump to such a conclusion! Those heretics might have been lying! How do I know you're telling the truth? You've been keeping things from us lately." He looked at the two dragons.

"Yes, I know. I beg your forgiveness, but I am including you, aren't I? If I was lying, this would be a rather childish lie, wouldn't you agree?"

Francesco shook his head. "Who knows what goes through the deceitful mind of a woman."

"Gender has nothing to do with lying," Yuri said, looking boredly at Francesco. "You should admit that Cardinal Sforza is right. It's quite obvious really."

Instantly Franceso's eyes were on him. "Like I'd listen to trash like you."

For a moment Caterina saw rage flitter across Yuri's face, but it was quickly replaced by the normal calm she was associated with right before he exploded. This was not looking good. Julianna looked at her, her eyes mirroring her thoughts.

"Very well. When your city is up in flames or something of that sort, don't blame us for trying to help you. Caterina, this is a waste of time."

Julianna shook her head. "Shush, Yuri. You know very well that we cannot speak to our superiors in such a tone."

Yuri growled, looking elsewhere.

"I'm very sorry, Your Eminence." Julianna bowed her head. "Please forgive him. He's still just an unruly child I'm afraid."

Francesco still glared daggers at Yuri, but he calmed a bit. "At least one of YOUR kind has manners."

"I shall take that as a compliment. Thank you, Your Eminence."

Caterina inwardly applauded Julianna. The woman was angry, she could sense that. However, unlike Yuri, Julianna was a bit more trained in handling officials, and the like.

"Brother, please, for once listen to me. I don't want another incident like with our uncle…" Caterina's eyes softened; fatigue drifting over her once again.

Francesco glared at the beautiful wooden table in front of him. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"If I am wrong, I will gladly resign from my position."

"What?" Julianna and Yuri said in unison. They both look very troubled.

Francesco's eyes widened a bit, before he went back to his gruff persona. "Very well. I'll hold you do that."

"So does this mean you will help us?"

Francesco nodded stiffly. "The other priests will be angry at us for not telling them about this."

"It's necessary. We don't know whether some of them have sided with the Father as well."

Francesco nodded stiffly again, and stood up. "I'll go prepare my Inquisition. You focus on your men. If you are lying…" his eyes narrowed coldly.

"Do not worry. I can assure you I'm not." Caterina bowed her head politely, watching as he stalked out of the room. When he was completely gone, she looked at the two dragons, smiling softly. "We did it."

"We did," Julianna replied, smiling back. "Now then, the problem is actually getting into the estate. Are we going to barge in?"

"That seems to be the only way. Besides, the Inquisition seems to rather like doing that anyway…"

"I thought as much." Julianna turned her attention to Yuri who was still silently fuming. "You're such a child. Your actions right now could have ruined everything."

Yuri was silent, but the rage that radiated off of him was enough to tell Julianna to back off.

"So, Caterina, are you prepared for the consequences if those two did by chance lie?" Julianna said.

"Yes, I am. However, I know I'm not. I simply said that to convince my brother."

"Good job with that. You had me going."

Caterina smiled. Now things were going to get serious it seemed. It was time to end this game once and for all. She looked at Yuri, wondering if he was as estatic as Julianna, but all she saw was a deeply troubled young man...

* * *

**Author note:** My goodness, this is so difficult. My mind keeps wandering and it's preventing me from writing well. I'm so sorry if this seemed a bit rushed. College is killing me now that it's getting closer and closer to December. 


	32. Betrayal

_**A/N:**__ This isn't the last chapter. I swear I cannot end this in just a few chapters. I THINK I should be done after the next one, and another one which will be the epilogue. It's highly probable, so…well…yeah. xD OH! And I'm SO sorry for the really late update. I've been busy with this fanfic, another one, and school, and other things that would be too long to list. _

_Review Reply Corner:_

**englisharmy - **Lol. That's right, that wasn't the last chapter. xDDD I'm having such a hard time ending this. Anywho! Yes there will be action times four hundred ten in the next chapter (plus some Crusnik sauce of course). LOL. Yes, I'm having the same problem. Darn those manga and video games **-shakes fist at the sky-** I swear I need to save...

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Betrayal**

"It's nice to see you're in good health, Ayden."

Ayden tried not to look nervous as he gazed at his boss, Brita's, face. The woman still looked the same. She was still beautiful for her own good, and still kindly looking like he remembered her. However, her black, curly hair was a bit longer with a white streak on the side, and she appeared a little bit thinner. It seemed all this stress with the Vatican had been a bit too much for the all powerful "boss".

"Yes, thank you, Boss."

She nodded. "So, what have you been doing? Why have you not contacted us?"

Vergil spoke up for him. "Those Vatican people captured him. He hasn't had a chance to really do so."

An angry gleam appeared in her gray eyes when she heard that. "I see. Very well then, let's test your loyalty."

Ayden bit back a gulp.

(Relax, boy. Her questions won't be too serious. If she asks anything concerning the Vatican, use your wit to save you)

Easier said then done…

"Why is Yuri with the Vatican?"

"He is there due to a mission from Lucyna. He's supposed to learn about them, and then head back when he feels his job is complete."

"Fool…" Brita mumbled, but there was a faint hint of fondness in her usually cold voice. "Does he enjoy it?"

(Lie. Lie now, Ayden) came Conrad's urgent voice.

"No, he hates it. He thinks they're disgusting."

Brita grinned, and then laughed, tilting her head back. "I KNEW he would! I knew it!" She looked back down at Ayden. "Do you think he will come back to us?"

Ayden waited for Conrad to help him again, but the dog was dead silent. "Um, yes I believe so." He almost cringed when he said this. Yuri would sooner die than come back to this way of life.

"Good." Brita leaned back on her soft red plush couch, closing her eyes. "Now then, does the Vatican know of our weapon? Has that fool of a dragon said anything to them?"

Lying would do Ayden no good, but maybe…just maybe… "From what I've gathered, Gabrys was going to tell them about where you all were to spite you, but he died before he had a chance. However, I don't know if they found another means of information. Caterina is a crafty woman after all."

"War-monger…that's what that monster was," Vergil growled. Ayden thought he was talking about Caterina, but with careful deliberation, he understood that the werewolf was talking about Gabrys. "Boss, what do you want us to do?"

Brita tapped her chin with a red finger nail. "I'm unsure. We can't move in this sun, so we'll wait until tonight to move mostly everyone out of here. By then, the weapon will be completed and we'll be able to use it as a farewell present." She smiled coldly.

Despite her kind face, she was a monster through and through. It had taken Ayden a while to figure that out when he had first joined, but after watching her, he wasn't so sure she was someone he would want to cross. Ayden tried not to shiver at the thought. One slight hint of nervousness was all Brita needed to sense treachery. That's why she had been in charge for so long.

"Now then, go and make yourself useful, Ayden. Be sure to stick with Vergil until I am able to speak to the others tonight."

Ayden nodded, bowing. "I'll try my absolute best to make up for lost time!"

Brita nodded, clearly pleased.

With another extremely low bow, Ayden was led out of the large, darkly lit room, and out into a dark hallway. The basement was incredibly large…but this WAS an estate after all…

As he and Vergil walked down the hallway, the werewolf bent down and whispered in his ear. "Good lying in there, kid."

Ayden tensed.

"No worries, no worries. I could care less about what you did. My job is to just serve as a guard outside while those vampies are resting in here."

Ayden slowly relaxed, but was still somewhat tense. "What are you up to, Vergil?"

Vergil chuckled, moving away. "Nothing, nothing at all."

Ayden knew that was a form of dismissal. Vergil was warning him in a playful way to keep his curiosity to himself…so that's just what Ayden did.

The trek to the lab was not long. Just a floor below where Ayden had spoken to the Boss. What shocked Ayden was the fact that the lab was so small. He did not see this weapon anywhere…

"Vergil…where's the weapon?"

"Eh? You don't see it?"

Ayden slowly shook his head.

"Silly, you're not looking hard enough." He pointed at a small blue cube with wires poking out of it. The cube was only the size of a baseball. How could THAT be the weapon?

"You're…you're kidding, right?"

Vergil smirked. "Of course not."

Ayden turned quickly, grabbing the werewolf's jacket and pulling him closer. "That can't be the weapon!"

"Eh? Who says it's not?"

"Don't mess with me, Vergil!"

Vergil just continued to smirk.

"No need for such violence, Ayden. You sure have gotten more spunk since you've been gone haven't you?"

Ayden quickly turned his attention to a squat old vampire in the corner of the room. How could Ayden have not noticed him earlier? "Maverick…"

"That's right, that's right. So the Vatican didn't scramble your brain. You were lucky they didn't kill ya." Maverick may have looked like a nice old man, but beneath that smiling face there was a crafty mind. He was old, but that did not mean he was weak.

Ayden looked around. Was Maverick the only one working on this? "Where's everyone one else?"

"They're around. Most of 'em are sleepin'. There's no rush, this project is almost over. Once it's done, we'll leave this country with a bang."

Ayden glanced back at the blue cube.

"Ah, are you interested in knowing what that is?" Maverick said, amusement written in his words.

"Uh…yes. Vergil says that's the weapon. It isn't…is it?"

Maverick laughed, and walked over to it with his clipboard. "Aye, of course it is."

"How can that be?!" Ayden shouted.

Vergil laughed hysterically as if the whole thing was some big joke earning a cold glare from Ayden.

"Calm down, laddie, and Vergil be quiet you're making this harder to explain."

Vergil bit back his laughter, crossing his arms and moving over to the door.

"Now then, yes laddie, that's the weapon. You can ask anyone else in this house when they wake up and they'll tell you."

(Hmm…quite intriguing. Ask about it)

Conrad didn't need to tell Ayden that. He was already going to do so. If that blue cube was the weapon, then what the hell was it capable of? "What does that cube do?"

"It serves one purpose. This lil' cube here creates a high pitch sound..."

Ayden raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"

"Of course not, laddie. Be patient! This old man is trying to explain. Anyway, the high pitch sound it creates can completely stop the heart."

Ayden heard Conrad gasp. It took much from the little Methuselah not to do the same. "How can such a weapon be possible? And won't it kill everything?"

Maverick scratched his thinning white hair and walked over to the cube, staring at it with a strange, sick fondness that only a weapon designer could feel. "It's such a lovely weapon…"

"Hey gramps, Ayden asked you a question."

Maverick quickly removed his eyes from the blue cube, glancing back at the two young people in the room. "Ah…yes, what did you say, Ayden?"

"I asked you how is such a weapon possible to create and won't it kill everything?" Frustration was leaking into his voice.

"Well…we used old technology blueprints to make this. Some were falling apart, but thanks to the Orden we were able to make this. That Dietrich boy truly is a genius…"

"You're rambling again, gramps," Vergil drawled.

"Ah yes, forgive me…um…where was I? Oh yes, I remember. You asked if this weapon would kill everything? Yes, everything within a ten mile radius."

(Such a dangerous weapon…but with a terrible weakness. If it can only go ten miles, then it won't be too much of a threat.)

Ayden wanted to say that it could still kill many people and in the end completely decimate the Vatican, but saying such a thought aloud would only gain suspicion. "Terrifying."

"Very much so. However, it's incomplete. With a bit more work we could get it to go farther…but testing its power on the Vatican sounds oh so wonderful. Besides, that priest wants us to sell this to him, so we'll have to do a demonstration…" The old vampire cackled.

Ayden bit his lip, staring at the floor. What was the Vatican going to do? Fleur Du Mal could turn this weapon on in a second…but they would end up killing themselves in the process. Knowing how psychopathic most of the members were, they probably wouldn't care…

(Ayden, we have to find a way to get rid of that weapon)

_I know…_Ayden thought. The problem was…how would he be able to do it? "Mister Maverick, can I help with this weapon?"

Maverick stopped his laugher, a sly smile crossing his face. "Ah, so you're interested too? I always do love the young. They're always so eager for such things. Yes, you may help. We did miss your hardworking personality. We would have been done much faster if you were here."

Ayden smiled, though it was forced. "I can't help but be eager, especially when this means we can finally kill those zealot bastards. I'll avenge our dead comrades, and beg their forgiveness for at least not taking out one or two priests while I was in captivity."

Maverick looked immensely pleased while Vergil smirked, but it seemed just as forced.

* * *

Yuri's patience had evaporated. The Vatican was taking far too long for his comfort. He knew what he was going to do was foolish, and may even cost his life as well as his reputation, but he had to do it. Brita was obsessed with him…and not in an overly good way. Her obsession made him nervous, and thus he tried his absolute best to take missions as far away from her as possible when he was still in the group. It was probably due to her lust that he was not dead right about now…especially since he had been wandering around the Vatican on more than one occasion… 

Yuri walked into the Pope's garden, his mind still in a jumble of thoughts. Why were those fools taking so long? Their army should have already mobilized by now. He shook his head, growling. He was so deep in his thought's, he never heard Abel calling for him until the man was smack dab in his face.

"Yuri! Didn't you hear me calling you?"

Yuri frowned, casually glancing at Abel before continuing his trek through the garden. "I was thinking. Anyway, what do you want?"

Abel walked next to him, matching his stride easily with his long legs. "How did the meeting go?"

"Didn't the Cardinal tell you that?"

Abel sighed and shook his head. "No…she's getting ready for something. I'm sure she'll tell all of us soon."

Yuri nodded curtly and continued walking, but a hand on his arm stopped him from going too far.

"Yuri…what's matter?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing," Yuri repeated just as emotionless and he did before. Abel looked unconvinced.

"Something has been bothering you since we got back from Venetia. What is it?"

Yuri stopped and turned, his eyes softening slightly. Abel was such a moron… "I'm leaving."

The look on Abel's face would have been funny under different circumstances. "Y-You're leaving?! W-What do you mean?"

"It means what it means. Geez you're so stupid."

"But why? Did…did we all do something wrong?"

"No." Yuri sighed.

Abel's expression suddenly grew serious. "What are you up to? Don't tell me you're going to go back to the Republic?"

"No," Yuri repeated a bit more firmly this time. "I can't take this anymore. Screw Lucyna and screw the Vatican. I'm tired of following orders from all of you."

"W-What? Yuri what are you up---?" Abel did not have a chance to finish before Yuri punched him in the stomach. The priest coughed, leaning over and almost falling over, but the young dragon held him up.

"Sorry, Abel. I need to go back. You're all so stupid. You didn't think I was on your side did you?"

"You're…you're lying…" Abel gasped out, closing his eyes in pain.

"Heh…believe what you want."

Abel did not say anything back. He had passed out. Yuri could tell simply by listening to his breathing was labored. Yuri sighed, hugging the priest tightly. He was going to miss the idiot…

Gently he sat the priest under the shade of a tree and made it look as if he had gone to sleep. With a sigh, Yuri turned and began to walk away, not once looking back. If he did, he would probably go to Abel's aide and end up staying there…

* * *

Deon stood outside the outskirts of the estate, waiting. When chaos ensured, then he would go inside. He understood what it was Lucyna wanted him to do now…and quite frankly he hated the woman for it. 

Rumor on the streets was that the dragon, Julianna, was now with the Vatican. It was Deon's duty to tell her what he had learned, and thus putting his life in danger to do so. Lucyna was a sadistic woman to make him do this…but he knew there was no other way.

Deon looked up at the sky. It was high noon, the perfect time to attack…and yet the Vatican was wasting time. They should have already been at the estate, storming the building and slaughtering the Methuselah who went against them. However, they were no where to be seen.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. He was going to be waiting a while…

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**A/N:** Short I know. xDDD Don't kill me! -shields her face- The next one WILL be a doozy. I ended this chapter like this because well…it just seemed like it needed to end there. Anywho! R&R? 


	33. Note

**-Gasps- What's this?!**

LoL, hello everyone. Yes, I know it's been taking me forever to put that final chapter out for this fanfic, and for that I must say that I am quite sorry. No worries though, I don't plan on quitting this if that's what anyone is thinking. I SHOULD have the final chapter out by this week or the next. I've been busy with school, as well as somewhat in a writer's block with this fanfic. xDDD

Thankfully, I have a friend who has been attacking me into getting back to work, so hurray!

**-Cackles-** I bet you all thought this might have been a new chapter. xD

-Wayra-


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